PANAJI: The stage is set for the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India to be held in the State from November 20 to 28.
British film “Catching Dust” will set the ball rolling at the inaugural while American film “The Featherweight” will be the closing title. Turkish film “About Dry Grasses” will be the mid-fest movie
Announcing this at a curtain raiser press conference in New Delhi
Union Minister Anurag Thakur said as India is ranked 5th largest market globally, its media and entertainment industry is a force to reckon with.
He also said that this market is growing every year with an average annual growth of 20% in the last three years. The movies made in India have covered every corner of the country and are now reaching the distant corners of the world.
Hollywood star Michael Douglas to be felicitated
Thakur stated that this year Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred on Michael Douglas, a shining star of world cinema and who is known for his immense contribution in the cinematic universe.
This year, the ministry announced the addition of a new award category to the film extravaganza that will be presented to a web series for its “artistic merit, storytelling excellence, technical prowess, and overall impact”.
Both the number of OTT platforms and the production of homegrown content have increased in the country, added Thakur.
Best web series OTT award
“Content ranging over thousands of hours is being produced in India, which in turn is generating employment opportunities. This content is also a source of entertainment. In response to the dynamic landscape of the entertainment and OTT sector, which stands at 28 percent annually, we have introduced the best web series OTT award,” he said.
A total of 32 entries across 10 languages from 15 OTT platforms have been selected for the inaugural best web series award, added Thakur. The winning series will receive a certificate and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh. Fifteen titles are vying for the Golden Peacock award, given to the best film award winner which will receive ₹40 lakh as cash prize.
Hollywood star Michael Douglas, who will be honoured with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFI, will also sit down for a masterclass session.
