Master classes, special screens for visually challenged at this film fest

IFFI Steering Committee Members were in Chennai recently for a meet-and-greet event with the Tamil film fraternity to invite them for more active participation in the film festival. The festival, scheduled to be held between November 20 and 29 November, is into its golden jubilee year and so, Ravi Kottarakkara, secretary, Film Federation of India and South Indian Film Federation of India, had arranged this meet.
Among those who attend the event were actor-director Parthiban, Pyramid Natarajan, Kalaipuli Thanu, JSK Sathish, former president of the Film Federation of India L Suresh, Arulpathi, T Siva, Dhananjeyan, AVM Shanmugam and Rajiv Menon from the Tamil film industry; PV Gangadharan, GT Vijayakumar and others from Kerala film industry, C Kalyan and Sarathy from the Andhra film industry and KCM Chandrasekar, Thomas Desouza and others from the Kannada film industry.
Among those who spoke that evening was Chaithanya Prasad, Additional Director General, Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF). “This year's festival assumes a larger significance, and we have increased the movies from 200 to 300 for the occasion by way of increasing the screens. John Bailey, former Oscar Awards Jury Committee Chairman, has agreed to head the jury” he informed. Ravi Kottarakkara added, “This is a special festival wherein 20 distinct film personalities will taking master classes for the new and aspiring creative talents. We will also introduce a path-breaking step by way of special screens for the visually challenged to enjoy the movies —this is a first in India and our request has been made possible by the Prakash Javdekar, I&B minister.”
L Suresh later told us, “This is a great opportunity for south filmmakers. From movies like Sivaji Ganesan’s Andha Naal, way back in 1954, to Thalapathy and Thevar Magan, to To Let — we have always had our shining moments at IFFI, under the Indian Panorama section. And this year, we have Parthiban’s Oththa Seruppu Size 7, the movie that’s garnered much critical acclaim, competing under the Indian Panorama section.”
Parthiban quickly added that he’d been “pregnant” with the idea for this film for the past 30 years, now. “If this film wins, it will be great for Tamil cinema and its upcoming talent,” he said.