Mangaluru: The four-day Nitte International Film Festival (NIFF) was inaugurated at Bharat Cinemas, Bharat Mall, Mangaluru here on June 8. The film festival will be held until June 11 midnight.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the festival, Film Critics Circle of India President, Indian Film Critics Association General Secretary, FIPRESCI-India Secretary, and E-CineIndia Editor Premendra Mazumder said that this film festival is the most unique in the country. Student fest run by a University for the entire city is definitely special, he added.
No such festival of this scale is conducted by any educational institutions, he noted and added that the real magic of cinema can be experienced only on big screen and he is proud that youngsters are here to experience such a wonderful line up here for the next four days.
Delivering presidential remarks, Nitte University Pro-Chancellor Prof. (Dr) M. Shantharam Shetty said that Mangaluru’s contribution is immense to Indian cinema from the era of Guru Dutt to current generation. More than 100 films will be screened in these 4 days, which is a matter of great pride. Films do play an important role in the development of younger generation and nation as a whole. It pains to see today in-your-face vulgarity, anger, hatred, cruelty in films than love and compassion, he rued.
Shetty said that films should endeavour to bring people together and educate how to overcome hatredness. It is imperative that the movies selected to screen in the fest not only entertain but educate people on what is right and what is wrong, thus encouraging critical thought process, he said and called upon Indian youngsters to contribute to films as their time has come.
The welcome and introductory address was rendered by Raviraj Kini, Director, Nitte Institute of Communication (NICO). Student Coordinator Anupama Ratish delivered the vote of thanks.
The best screenings of the film festival are Ek Jagah Apni (Ektara Collective, Hindi) to be screened at Screen 3 on June 8, 3.00 pm, Borderlands (Director Samarth Mahajan, Hindi/Manipuri), a Documentary to be screened at Screen 4 on June 8, 6.30 pm, Gandhi & Co (Director Manish Saini, Gujarati) to be screened at Screen 3 on June 9, 12.15 pm and Sakutumba Sametha (Director Rahul P. K., Kannada) be screened at Screen 3 on June 9, 6.30 pm.
Master Classes by Director Ganesh B. Shetty in Short Film Making for an hour from 6.00 pm on June 8, in Art Direction Shashidhar Adapa on June 9 from 6.00 pm, in Film Direction by Director Mikhil Musale on June 10 from 5.00 pm, in Film Reviews by Namrata Joshi on June 10 from 6.00 pm and Art of Storytelling by Jayanth Kaikini on June 11 from 6.00 pm will be held.
On the occasion, photo exhibition of Ashwatharayana, eminent photographer of the industry on the theme, Snapshots from Sandalwood’s History is being held at the lobby.
Nitte International Film Festival
This annual film event aims to bring the best films and filmmakers to the citizens of the multicultural city of Mangaluru, completely free of cost. The Nitte International Film Festival (NIFF) is organised by students of Nitte Institute of Communication, a constituent college of Nitte Deemed-to-be-University. Further, the Nitte International Film Festival (NIFF) aims to bring award winning and critically acclaimed cinema from across the world to Mangaluru. NIFF also wants to cultivate an audience that appreciates and encourages good cinema, in coastal Karnataka. The first ever Nitte International Film Festival was held in Mangaluru from April 24 to 27, 2017.