240 films to be screened during film fest in Jaipur

JAIPUR: The 12th edition of Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) will start on January 17 at a multiplex in GT Central. During the five-day festival, 240 films f r o m 6 9 c o unt r i e s wi l l b e screened, said a release from the organizers.

The films include Oscar nominated film, films made in Rajasthan, children’s films and a film based on the novel of union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the release added.

JIFF founder Hanu Roj said this year the festival received 2,411 films from 98 countries. The films will be screened at screens 1, 3, 6 and 7 of INOX Cinema Hall from 9.30am on January 18. The screening will go on until 9.30pm on January 21.

“The opening ceremony will be held on January 17 at Maharana Pratap Auditorium and it will be followed by screening of 79 films on January 18. Fortyfive films will be screened on January 19, 63 on January 20 and 42 on January 21. The festival will conclude on January 21 with the closing ceremony,” Roj said.

He said several films which have been nominated for the Oscars will also be screened during JIFF. These include Daughter, Joseph, American Mirror - Integrations of Immorality and Finding Farideh.

Major Nirala, based on the novel of Nishank, which will be shown on January 19. Ganesh Veeran has directed the film.

The organizers said there will be special screening of children’s films during the festival. “These films will be screened at Subodh Public School, Jaipuria Vidyalaya, Sanskar School and Springdale School, from 9am to 1pm,” Roj said. He said it was a matter of pride for Rajasthan that 11 films made by people in Rajasthan will also be screened during JIFF. These include Waiting Till Today (directed by Rajesh Seth), Mazar-e-laila Majnu (directed by Rahul Sood), Sadak (directed by Rajesh Soni), documentary film Hausle Ki Udaan (directed by Poornima Kaul) and Raghav Rawat and Mohit Sharma’s Panchi. Rajasthani film Chidi Balla d i r e c t e d b y Radheshyam Pipalwa will also be shown during the festival, Roj said. The 51-minute Rajasthani film is a tribute to art, sports and culture of the state.

There will be world premiere of many films in JIFF, the organizers said. Abhay Dalakoti’s 29-minute-long Indian film Champion and Marina Libik’s No Man’s Truth will be shown. Brazilian film Henri CartierBresson, For the Love of India, Stewart Marshall and Josh Masson’s Iron City: 1978 and Mani Shankar Iyer’s Sattham will be screened during JIFF.