By:- Sushant Kumar Singh Deputy Editor ICN GROUP
Shimla: The three days long International Film Festival of Shimla was inaugurated by Sh. V.S. Kundu, Additional Chief Secretary Government of Haryana and Former Director General of Film Division in Gaiety Theater on 12 October 2018. The Film Festival Booklet was also released by the chief guest who shared his knowledge of films with the audience. Sh. V.S. Kundu said, “When you watch a film you learn and understand things that impact life of people and the message stays in their mind for a long time.” He further added, “When cinema is made, a sense of responsibility is a must. Cinema being a vast medium has a bigger influence on the masses, the film makers should have a level of responsibility and they must have sensitivity with maturity in handling the messages they deliver to the society. These are the important elements of cinema.”
In the three days long film festival screening of around 80 International as well as National films by acclaimed film makers from 28 countries will be done. Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said, “Cinema is a brilliant way of expressing various cultures and societies. It is a proud moment to host the 4th edition of the film festival in Gaiety Theater which has been the mecca of many theater artists who have excelled in cinema as well.”
For the first time in the history of Indian Film Festivals, a special screening of the films is organized for the Jail inmates of Model Central Jail Kanda, Himachal Pradesh. The inauguration of the Film Festival Screening was done by Superintendent of Jail Sh. Sameer Kumar Thakur who released the Film Festival Booklet in Central Jail Kanda. Sh. Sameer Kumar Thakur thanked the DGP, Police Sh. Somesh Goyal for giving the opportunity to the inmates to watch Film Festival of International reputation.
Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said, “This is for the first time IFFS is having two different venues of the event and the idea behind the second venue is to bridge the gap of the inside world and the outside through cinema, and nurture the creativity of the prisoners. By promoting such activities and involving the jail inmates with the world outside, IFFS intends to motivate the prisoners who are struggling to find their place in the world.”
Along with the screening of films there was a Master Class by award winning film maker Ms. Jennifer Alphonsse from Hyderabad who shared her knowledge of Film making with the aspirants.
