Kishore Kumar, The Ultimate Biography: The Penultimate Review Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar have been both adventurous and courageous in calling their Biography of that eccentric genius, Kishore Kumar, ‘The Ultimate’. Some biographies about one of India’s greatest ever playback singers-actors, also a music director and film producer, have already been written, and others will be written. And so, Ultimate is an indulgent word. Not given to such extravagance, I shall...

MIFF returns, with a budget of 4-5 crores; will be organised and held at Films Division Biennial since its inception in 1990, the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) of documentaries, short fiction and animation films, will be held this year from 29 May to 04 June at the Films Division (FD)’s premises on Peddar Road (Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg). A total of 300+ films have been selected by the selection committees and the budget of the entire festival is estimated at Rs. 4-5 crore. It ...

Merger with NFDC: Are the media units fighting a losing battle? While the proposal to bring four media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the umbrella of the NFDC is being debated in the media, among the stake-holders and the concerned public in general, we need to look at a decision of the High Court, dated 07 October 2021, in a Petition filed by the Films Division Staff Association against the Union of India. This decision underscores that any attempt to prevent th...

IFFI 52, 045: The last days of Directorate of Film Festivals Bumping into a senior Films Division (FD) officer at IFFI, I asked him if any preparations had been made for the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), which, in normal circumstances, would be held in the end of January-beginning of February. The Films Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Central Government of India, has been making documentary, short and animation films for decades. Very few of th...

Very nice initiative from our correspondent in India Siraj Syed "A press conference was held on 19th November, on the eve of the inauguration of the 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), at Maquinez Palace, Panaji, Goa. It was addressed by the Chief Minister of Goa (ESG), Mr. Pramod Sawant, who is also the Chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa, and Mr. Chaitanya Prasad, Director of IFFI, among others. It was revealed at the PC that the cost of organising IFFI 2019 was...

MIFF 2018, VI The oldest and largest film festival for non-feature films in South Asia, Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for Documentary, Short  and Animation films (28 Jan – 03 Feb 2018), which began in 1990, is organised by the Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. The Organising Committee of MIFF is headed by the Secretary, I&B, and consists of eminent film personalities, documentary makers and film critics. This year, th...

MIFF 2018, V A total of 24 films are scheduled to be screened in the National Prism section at the Mumbai International Film Festival, to be held in Mumbai, during January 28-February 3. These have been clubbed under three categories: short fiction, up to 45 minutes; documentaries up to 60 minutes and documentaries above 60 minutes. Here is the list. It includes Breaking all the Way, directed by Sunita Malpani, who has worked in TV serials and feature films, and produced by Films Division. En...

MIFF 2018, IV Besides the competitive section, Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2018 will screen national and international films in the Prism category. A list of twenty films has been released in the International category under Prism. They are divided into three categories: Animation, short fiction up to 45 minutes in length, and documentaries of any duration. National selection will follow in the next update. LIST OF FILM SELECTED FOR INTERNATIONAL PRISM SECTION...

MIFF 2018, I: Last call for entries Last date for sending entries to the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for Documentaries, Shorts and Animation Films is fast approaching: November 15. The biennial festival began in 1990 and is organised by the Films Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. It will be held during January 28-February 03, 2018. International Film Competition Eligibility - Films made in India or abroad, between 01 September...

IFFI Goa 2015, Festival Diary, IX: Advance to the rear ...