Govt promises to back 'good' films

BANGALORE: Amid squeaky seats, not-so-good lighting and poor screen quality, an international children''s film festival started on Friday. While the fare of films being presented is of international standard, the festival per se, with no government support, smacks of apathy.
However, chief minister Dharam Singh, who inaugurated the three-day festival at Bal Bhavan, said the government was ready to give all its support to producers and directors of good films.
When the organisers, Children''s India, pressed for funds, deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah assured that if quality films were produced, the government would announce Rs 25 lakh for children''s cinema.
Some 35 films from across the world — Finland, Korea, China, Iran, Armenia — and films from Indian languages will be screened during the course of the festival.
Says the president of Children''s India, N.R. Nanjunde Gowda, “The purpose is to expose children to films from other countries. They should see other cultures instead of seeing only Tamil, Kannada, Telugu movies.''''
Actor Vishnuvardhan, who greeted the idea of films from across boundaries and cultures, said films should be education-oriented and children shouldn''t forget their identity. Organisers said seating is on first-come-first serve basis. Call 51324898, 51224477.