Shimla International Film Festival 2016: Films from 22 countries to be screened at two-day International Film festival

Films from around 22 countries would be screened during the two-day International Film festival of Shimla, being organised here from October 1.

Shimla, Sep 7: Films from around 22 countries would be screened during the two-day International Film festival of Shimla, being organised here from October 1. The countries include America, Russia, Japan, Iran, Dubai, Argentina, Cyprus, Bangladesh, Canada, Israel, France, Australia, Belarus and Nepal among others. So far 54 films have have been registred for the film festival being organised by Department of Language, Art and Culture, Himalayan Velocity and Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

International competition in documentary, short and feature films and animation films would be held during the festival, Director of the film festival Pushp Raj Thakur said. ‘Nepal Earthquake Heroes; Survivors and Miracles’ which depicts the live view of Nepal earthquake 2015 and ‘Outcast’ directed by Graham Colin from UK which throws light on caste system in India would be screened in the documentary category.

In national category, 22 documentary, short films, and feature films will be premiered and the filmmakers will present issues of their states differently in a cinematic way, he said. ‘Hunt’ film from Jharkhand by BijjuTappo represents the conflicts between Naxalism and security forces. ‘Shrouded Paradise’ is the film which tells story of flood in Kashmir directed by Jalal Ud Din Baba. World renowned cinematographer Stanzin Dorje from Ladakh will present his film ‘Shepherdess of Glaciers’, narrating the story of shepherdess of Ladakh- how they survive in adverse geographical conditions. ‘Nisheedhi’ will represent the Telangana issue and ‘Naked Wheels’ will characterize the transgender issues, Thakur said.

Three films by the students of State Institute of Film and Television Rohtak in Haryana will be screened while Marathi Film ‘Chaukhat’ will motivate the audience to think above the common lines, he said. The festival would also witness premiere of a short film ‘Laal Hota Darakht’ directed by Dr Dev Kanya Thakur based on the short story of SR Harnot. ‘The Infinite Space’ by Sidharth Chauhan from Shimla will throw light on the some of the learnings of Budhism in Bhoti language. Short films ‘Meera’ directed by Satyender Rana and Diksha Jain from Mandi and ‘Dost’ from Bilaspur by Piyush Kanga would also be premiered in the festival.