Tintin a bonanza for children at film festival

HYDERABAD: Children in the state areall set to have a week of entertainment and fun with the 13th InternationalChildren Film Festival unveiling at Lalita Kala Thoranam on November 14.The festival has many firsts this year. Tintin, a favourite cartoonof both adults and children, would be screened for the first time at thefestival. A special package of South America — Brazil, Mexico andVenezuela — is another first time offer apart from films produced bystudents of Sam Spiegel Film School (Jerusalem). Another notable feature of thefestival is that the animated film — Son of Alladin — made by notedfilm maker Singeetam Srinivasa Rao would be screened under the internationalcompetition.Also for the first time, there will be a post-festivalscreening of select films at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The festivalorganisers have urged the Prasar Bharathi to telecast the select films onnon-commercial basis.The festival would also have special screeningsincluding the best of Czech animation films, Himalayan adventures and filmsabout animals.In the festival, 120 films from 34 countries would bescreened at Prasad Multiplex, Siva (Gaddiannaram), Raghavendra (Malkajigiri),Sudha (Shalibanda), Sashikala (Moosapet), Ramakrishna (Abids), Milan (AsifNagar) theatres and Hari Hara Kala Bhavan (Secunderabad).There willbe a International competition section, Asian Panorama, Children’s World,special screenings and retrospectives, according to home minister T DevenderGoud.Addressing a press meet onFriday, Goud said Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekawat is likely to inauguratethe festival, which is jointly being organised by Children Film Society Of Indiaand the state government. As many as 12 awards, with a total prize money of Rs6.25 lakh, would be given under various categories.While, 34 films,including three Indian films, were selected for International Competitionsection, 16 films including 10 Indian films in Asian Panaroma and 70 filmsincluding 11 Indian films in Children’s World were selected.Aspecial retrospective session will screen films of Norwegian filmmaker LarsBerg, French director Jacques Tati and Indian Animator Ram Mohan, CFSI CEOSatish Bhandarkar said. The festival would also pay tributes topopular comedian late Johny Walker, by screening two of his films, and directorMadan Bawaria.