Screenplay workshop pans on cinema for kids

BHUBANESWAR: KIIT University and the Children's Film Society India have launched a first of its kind workshop in the city for script writers with an aim to usher in a new wave in Indian children's cinema. The project, called "Green Screen Lab", got underway on the university campus on Friday. As many as 18 noted screenplay writers from India and abroad will participate in it.
Director Nila Madhab Panda, who is also an organizing member of the event, said, "The call for entry to the lab elicited a huge response and the jury had a tough time selecting 18 participants from them as the quality of the submissions was generally quite high. In fact, this gives us great hope about the future of children's cinema, which has been a neglected genre in this country."
Sussan Benn, founder of Performing Arts Labs (PAL), London, who is here for the workshop, said, "We can make better cinema if we experiment with themes and ideas.
Shravan Kumar, CEO of Children's Film Society India (CFSI), said these types of workshops are essential for directors who want to make children's films. Such projects facilitate understanding of children's psychology.
The 18 screenplays chosen for the event include six from the northeast. This is because the organizers wanted to bring out exciting stories from the neglected region of the country.
The lab is a fully-residential project. Participants will engage in intensive group discussions and one-on-one sessions with mentors and experienced directors. They will also learn production, marketing and distribution from visiting guest mentors from India and Europe. There will also be screenings of and discussions on internationally-acclaimed children's films.
"We are hopeful to get funding for at least five films," Panda said.
Screenplay writers selected for the workshop are Adhiraj Singh (Forgot About Mina), Anusha Nandakumar & Sandeep Saket (Mountain by the Roadside), Bassanti Pathak (Pincha My Talking Dog), Bhaskarjyoti Das (The Puppet Theatre),Dominic Megam Sangma (My Mother's Dream), Gaurav Saxena (Rangzen), Jyoti Nisha (Kahani Chamki Aur Cheeku Ki), Reema Borah (Yeh Jo Hara Hai), Reema Sengupta (Kayko), Romi Meitei (My Home), Shazia Khan (Sabiha), Soumendra Padhi (Time to Run), Sudipto Sen (Amatali), Utpal Borpujari (Ishu) and Vijay Rajan Singh (A Roadside Dream), Irfan jami (Jaagna Mana Hai), Mohinder Singh (Bhujang) and K Ramchandran (Children of Rhythm).