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Delhi, the next film capital?

Hundred years of Delhi as the capital of India coincides with hundred years of Indian cinema and in order to celebrate that, the Capital will get its first ever International Film festival this December.

A press conference for the official announcement of the festival and launch of its website was held on 21 August.

The festival president, Ramkishore Parcha and festival secretary Suresh Goswami, filmmaker and writer, made it quite clear that this is not going to be just another festival. ‘We have films from 70 different countries and over 90 films already in hand. Not only are we celebrating cinema, we will also have a special edition of art exhibits from worldwide, especially, Pakistan, Iran, and Israel. Also, NRI literary writers, who do not get the opportunity to visit India on a regular basis, a book curated of their many poems would also be launched,’ they informed.

Present at the conference from the film fraternity were actor/filmmaker Tigmangshu Dhulia and Shiney Ahuja, who are also board members of the festival.

Dhulia believes this festival will help Delhi emerge as the next film city and will help the new talent to get to work more on films.

‘It is a platform, not just another festival. Movie buffs and those who want to take films as a profession have a great chance of meeting people from film industries from across the world. Those who do not get to go to Mumbai don’t have to anymore. The festival brings for them a whole new lot of opportunities,’ said Dhulia.

‘Hollywood is the place where studio films are made and New York is the place for all the other great movies that are made. So, why can we not make films in Delhi?’ he asked.

Delhi International Film festival 2012 will showcase films in 10 different sections. The festival will hold a special category called NRI cinema, which would help NRIs showcase their movies, a promo of one such film Oas by Shiv Tiwari of New York, was showcased at the press conference.

Under the Retrospective, tribute and homage sections, movies of Dev Anand, Balraj Sahni, Adoor Gopalkrishnan and the distinguished actor Soumitra Chatterjee from Bengal will be showcased.

World cinema section will include movies by Patrizi Iandi, Michel Hazanavicius, Eran Paz, Sun Hao Young. The festival will be focusing on showcasing a lot of films from Israel as well.

The festival will also present a special award to Zohra Sehgal, who has completed 100 years of her life. The best amongst the selected films will be awarded as well.
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