10th International Film Festival to be held in Shimla from 16 to 18 August

Diary Times News Service

Shimla, 06 August: The 10th International Film Festival of India (IFFS) will be held in Shimla from August 16 to 18, 2024 at the historic Gaiety Theatre. Organised by Himalayan Velocity in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and Department of Language and Culture (LAC), Government of Himachal Pradesh, the festival has gained immense popularity over the years.

Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said the opening film of this year’s festival will be “Mrs Tendulkar”, a Marathi film starring acclaimed actress Seema Biswas. Biswas, known for her powerful performance, will attend the opening ceremony and interact with the audience. She is best known for her role of Phoolan Devi in ​​Shekhar Kapur’s “Bandit Queen” (1994) and has won her several awards including the National Award for Best Actress and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

The film “Mrs Tendulkar” explores themes of loneliness and neglect of the elderly, focusing on a retired widow living in suburban Mumbai who finds unexpected companionship and support. The narrative highlights the challenges faced by many elderly persons in contemporary society.

This year’s festival will feature films from 27 countries and 20 Indian states, celebrating diverse cultural perspectives through cinema. Participants include filmmakers from France, Iran, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Germany, Nepal, Greece, United States, Portugal, Sweden, Bangladesh, Switzerland, Malaysia, Tunisia, Africa, Egypt, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Korea, Canada, United Kingdom, Bulgaria and China. Indian states such as Telangana, Delhi, Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Meghalaya, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka will be represented.

The festival will hold competitions in international, national and state categories and will include specially curated sessions on various themes and issues. The programme includes film screenings, seminars and workshops with experts from film institutes, critics and industry professionals. Additionally, 60 independent directors whose films will be screened at the festival will also be present.

Since its inception in 2015, IFFS has aimed to promote a vibrant movement of documentary films, short films, feature films, animation films, music videos and web series. The festival provides a platform for cinematic excellence and global storytelling.

Get The Latest News Of Himachal First On Mobile, Click Here To Join Our WhatsApp Group