National Film Awards

National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.
Every year, a national panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry, and the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India presents the awards. This is followed by the inauguration of the National Film Festival, where award-winning films are screened for the public. Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country, they hold the distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema overall, as well as presenting awards for the best films in each region and language of the country.
History
The Awards were first presented in 1954. The Government of India conceived the ceremony to honor films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the furthering of Indian art and culture. Since 1973, the Indian Directorate of Film Festivals administers the ceremony along with other major film events in India annually.
Juries and rules
The National Film Awards are presented in two main categories: Feature Films and Non-Feature Films. The juries are appointed by the Directorate of Film Festivals in India. Neither the Government nor the Directorate has influence over which films are selected for consideration and which films ultimately win awards. There are strict criteria as to whether a film is eligible for consideration by the jury panels. Over 100 films made across the country are entered in each category (Feature and Non-Feature) for the awards and are deemed eligible each year.
A list of rules is presented every year in a document of regulations known as the National Film Award Regulations. The criteria for eligibility contain many clauses. Among them, there is a direct requirement for the makers of a film, and particularly the director, to be Indian nationals. Films entering the competition should be produced in India, and in the case of co-production involving a foreign entity, there are as many as six conditions that should be fulfilled in order for the film to qualify. According to the criteria, in order to be eligible for consideration by the jury, a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between 1 January and 31 December. Whether a film is considered a feature film or a non-feature film shall be decided by the Feature Film jury. The eligibility list includes a section of rules determining which films shall not be eligible for entry in the competition.
Awards
The Awards are categorized into three sections; Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing on Cinema. With each section having its individual aims, Feature Film and Non-Feature Film sections aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form, thereby promoting unity and integrity of the nation. The Best Writing on Cinema section aims to encourage the study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of the art form through the publication of various books, articles, reviews, newspaper coverage, and studies.
In addition, a lifetime achievement award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, is awarded to a film personality for the outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
All the award winners are awarded a Medallion, a cash prize, and a certificate of merit. Six categories from the Feature Films section, two from the Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema sections each have been made eligible for Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus Award), and the rest of the categories for Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award).
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Feature Film Awards
Golden Lotus Award
Official name - Swarna Kamal
Best Feature Film
Best Director
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
Best Children's Film
Best Debut Film of a Director
Best Animated Film
Silver Lotus Award
Official name: Rajat Kamal
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Child Artist
Best Music Direction
Best Male Playback Singer
Best Female Playback Singer
Best Lyrics
Best Art Direction
Best Audiography
Best Choreography
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Make-up
Best Screenplay
Best Special Effects
Best Stunt Choreography
Special Jury Award
Special Mention
Best Film on Environment Conservation / Preservation
Best Film on Family Welfare
Best Film on National Integration
Best Film on Other Social Issues
Best Feature Film in 17 of the 22 languages specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India:
Best Feature Film in Assamese
Best Feature Film in Bengali
Best Feature Film in Bodo
Best Feature Film in Dogri
Best Feature Film in Gujarati
Best Feature Film in Hindi
Best Feature Film in Kannada
Best Feature Film in Kashmiri
Best Feature Film in Konkani
Best Feature Film in Malayalam
Best Feature Film in Manipuri
Best Feature Film in Marathi
Best Feature Film in Odia
Best Feature Film in Punjabi
Best Feature Film in Tamil
Best Feature Film in Telugu
Best Feature Film in Urdu
Best Feature Film in each of the languages other than those specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India:
Best Feature Film in Bhojpuri
Best Feature Film in English
Best Feature Film in Khasi
Best Feature Film in Kodava
Best Feature Film in Kokborok
Best Feature Film in Monpa
Best Feature Film in Tulu
Discontinued Awards
Second Best Feature Film
Third Best Feature Film
Best Story
Non-Feature Film Awards
Golden Lotus Award
Official name: Swarna Kamal
Best Non-Feature Film
Best Director
Silver Lotus Award
Official name: Rajat Kamal
Best First Film of a Director
Best Audiography
Best Cinematography
Special Jury Award / Special Mention
Best Editing
Best Music Direction
Best Narration / Voice Over
Best Agriculture Film
Best Animation Film
Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film
Best Arts / Cultural Film
Best Biographical Film
Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film
Best Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film
Best Exploration / Adventure Film
Best Film on Family Welfare
Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film
Best Investigative Film
Best Promotional Film
Best Scientific Film
Best Short Fiction Film
Best Film on Social Issues
Discontinued Awards
Best Experimental Film
Best Filmstrip
Best Industrial Film
Best News Review
Best Newsreel Cameraman
Writing on Cinema
Golden Lotus Award
Official name: Swarna Kamal
Best Book on Cinema
Best Film Critic
References
Further reading
External links
Directorate of Film Festivals
National Film Awards at IMDb
Indian film awards
Awards established in 1954
1954 establishments in India