Government of Maharashtra & Pune Film Foundation announce the 14th Pune International Film Festival from 14th to 21st January, 2016
8th January 2016: Government of Maharashtra & Pune Film Foundation are pleased to announce that the 14th Pune International Film Festival will be held from 14th to 21stJanuary 2016. The annual festival is one of the most eagerly awaited events on the Pune cultural scene and has seen growing participation from Indian and international delegates over the years.
With nearly 986 film entries from over 104 different countries, the 14th edition of the festival is themed on ‘Sports & Cinema bringing the world together’. In light of the current scenario of growing global terrorism, it has become even more crucial for the countries of the world to put aside their differences and join forces. Sports and cinema provide a common platform for people across cultural and geographical boundaries to connect over.
This year, there will be more than 200 movie screenings from various countries held at various locations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. These films will be subdivided into 15 sections which include Opening films, Awardees films, World competition, Marathi Competition, Volkswagen International Student Film competition (Live action & Animation), Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation short film competition (Konkan beaches and scuba diving, Wildlife of Vidarbha, Aurangabad as a tourist destination), Global cinema, Country focus, Kaleidoscope, Retrospective, Indian cinema, Marathi cinema today, Films Division, Gems from National Films Archives of India and Tribute. Additionally, new sections have been added such as Sports & Cinema bring the world together, Human mind & Cinemas, Literature & cinema, DSK feature animation, Asian cinema and Changing Maharashtra short film.
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has also announced a Short Film Competition which will have a first prize of Rs.1,25,000/- and second prize of Rs.75,000/- for each category, i.e., of Konkan-Beaches and Scuba Diving, Wildlife of Vidharbha (Tadoba) and Aurangabad including ‘Bibi-ka-Maqbara’- as a Tourist Destination.
Commenting on the festival, Shri Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia (IAS) Managing Director MTDC, said, “The Pune International Film Festival is one of the most awaited events on the annual Maharashtra tourism calendar as we witness significant traffic from within and outside India. This year, we are positive that the festival will be bigger and better than previous seasons and we look forward to an overwhelming response from the audiences. Also, the MTDC-Short film competition will help in innovatively showcasing the true essence of Maharashtra’s rich cultural heritage thus, highlighting its tremendous tourism potential. It is also a platform for young filmmakers to showcase their talent.”
About MTDC:
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) was established with the aim of promoting tourism in the state. Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the state, which generates substantial foreign exchange and has culminated in significant employment prospects. Since its foundation, MTDC has been at the forefront of development and maintenance of various tourist sites and at present owns and maintains resorts in these regions. MTDC also initiates & supports various cultural activities across the state with the objective to drive tourism and implements aggressive promotional campaigns and strategies. To aide tourists, MTDC has opened information centres at all popular destination, which provide travel information about various tourist spots in Maharashtra along with travel maps, Maharashtra tourism guides and travel books at affordable prices.
