44th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) inaugurated in Goa

Panaji, Nov 20: The 44th International Film Festival of India was inaugurated in Panaji, Goa on Wednesday in a glittering ceremony that celebrated the 100 years of Indian cinema. Amid standing ovation lifetime achievement awards were conferred on Indian actress Waheeda Rehman for Indian Film Personality of the Year and Czech filmmaker Jiri Menzel. The event saw the live performance of legendary Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj, who also choreographed a 30-minute presentation for the occasion.

An overwhelmed Waheeda Rehman said she felt honoured to receive the award. "I want to thank all the directors, producers, writers and everyone on the sets without whom I would not have been here," she said.

The inaugural function brought together Academy Award winning Hollywood actor and chief guest of at the occasion Susan Sarandon, critically acclaimed Iranian director, producer and screen writer Majid Majidi and Polish film maker Agnieszka Holland.

Sarandon began her speech with "Namaste India" and received warm applause, but rued the fact that she had been unable to see to many international or Indian films.

"I am ashamed to state that I have been unable to see to many foreign films. Now that I am here I hope that I am able to see a few of these," she said.  

Indian film greats like Rekha, Asha Bhonsle, Kamal Hassan, Rani Mukherjee, Huma Qureshi, Venkatesh, R Madhavan, Alia Bhatt, Jackie Shroff, Deepti Nawal and Prem Chopra also graced the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari stated that though the hosting of festivals like IFFI the government wanted to reinforce the values of pluralism, diversity, democracy and freedom of thought and expression and the ability to challenge the conventional that the founding fathers of India strived and stood for.

"An ethos that we have carefully nurtured over the past 65 years by embedding it in the collective psyche of the people. Perhaps these thoughts were also in the heart and mind of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the foremost thought leaders of his generation, as he ignited the torch of the first IFFI in 1952," Tewari added.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parikkar announced that his government would provide a permanent venue for the event that had been hosted by Goa for the past 10 years.

"I assure you that we will provide a permanent venue for the IFFI in its 45th year. Though there is a general election in between and we will be bound by the code of conduct we still hope to get the venue ready by next year," he said amidst lod cheers from the crowds.  

As many as 326 films from 76 countries will be screened, including 15 Oscar nominees during the 11-day film extravaganza.

The festival's opening film Don Juans by Jiri Menzel was also screened at the occasion. The festival will close with a film portraying Nelson Mandela's life journey ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ directed by Justin Chadwick and written by William Nicholsan. While 15 Films from around the world will vie for the coveted Golden Peacock Award.

Japan has been chosen as the country focus and the segment will showcase a special package of the best films that the country has to offer.