Lok Sabha Question No. 1858 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: International Film Festival of India
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Prataprao  Jadhav, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1858

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2019

## INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF INDIA

1858.  SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  50 th   International  Film  Festival  of  India  (IFFI),  2019  was organized by the Government recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the aims and objectives of the IFFI;
- (c) the  number  and  the  details  of  films  from  different  countries  that  was screened in the festival along with the focus country in the festival;
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to promote Indian cinema in the International Film Festival, and
- (e) the  further  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote regional films in the country?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR):

- (a) & (b) Yes Sir, Union of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in association with Government of Goa organizes International Film Festival of India (IFFI) every year at  Goa  in  November.  Year  2019  marks  the  Golden  Jubilee edition of IFFI (20 th  - 28 th  November, 2019).

International Film Festival of India (IFFI) provides a common platform for the cinemas  of the world to project the excellence of the film art; contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations in the context  of  their  social  and  cultural  ethos;  and  promoting friendship and cooperation among people of the world. It is also a medium to showcase the cultural influence of Indian cinema and its soft power.

- (c) 180  International  Films  from  76  different  countries  were screened at the festival. Russia is the country of focus for the 50 th  edition of IFFI.
- (d) Film  Promotion  Fund,  set  up  by  the  Government  in  2017 provides  financial  assistance  to  the  independent  Indian filmmakers  to  promote  their  films at International film festivals across the world, thereby promoting Indian cinema in the International arena. Financial assistance is provided to the filmmakers once their films are selected in International Film Festivals or events like Oscars.
- (e) Every year, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting organizes National Film Awards wherein films from across the country in  Hindi/Regional  Languages  are  awarded  under  different categories.

Also,  every  year,  films  are  selected  for  Indian  Panorama section of IFFI. This year, Indian Panorama is a package of 26 feature  films  and  15  non-feature  films,  selected  in  various Indian languages.  In the Indian Section of IFFI, out of total 73, 54 feature films and 19 non-feature films will be screened. These include Homage Section, section of films completing 50 years in 2019, Konkani language films etc.

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