Seven films shortlisted in the Marathi competition section for 21st Pune International Film Festival

Seven films have been shortlisted for the Marathi competition section for the 21st Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), organized by the Pune Film Foundation and the Government of Maharashtra. Dr Jabbar Patel announced the shortlisted films for the Marathi competition section, President, Pune Film Foundation and Festival Director, at a Press Conference held today. Ravi Gupta, Secretary, of Pune Film Foundation was present for the Press Conference.

Dr Patel also announced that noted director Chaitanya Tamhane will deliver the 'Vijay Tendulkar Memorial Lecture' on the topic 'Lessons I have learnt so far’ on February 4.

The 21st PIFF will be held from February 2nd to 9th. The inaugural function will be held at Theatre Academy, Sakal Lalit Kendra in Mukundnagar on February 2 at 5.30 PM, while the closing ceremony will be held on February 9 at 5.30 PM at the same venue, informed Dr Patel.

Dr Patel also informed that ‘Holy Spider’, directed by Ali Abbasi will be the opening film shown at the Festival, while Final Cut directed by Michel Hazanavicius will be the closing film shown at the Festival.

Dr Patel also said that due to technical reasons, films would not be screened at the National Films Archives of India (NFAI) on Law College Road and instead one additional screen has been taken at the INOX, Bundgarden.

The seven short-listed films in the Marathi competition section are as follows:

Madar (Director – Mangesh Badar)

Global Aadgoan (Director – Anil Kumar Salve)

Giraki – (Directors - Kavita Datir and Amit Sonawane)

Territory – (Director – Sachin Shriram Mullemwar)

Diary of Vinayak Pandit – (Director - Mayur Sham Karambalikar)

Dharmveer.. Mukkam Post Thane – (Director – Pravin Vitthal Tarde)

Panchak – (Directors - Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate)

Lectures and Workshops to be held during the 21st Pune International Film Festival:

1. Friday February 3 at 3.30 PM – Lecture by A Sreekar Prasad on ‘The Invisible Art of Film Editing’

2. Saturday, February 4 at 5.30 PM - Chaitanya Tamhane will deliver the Vijay Tendulkar Memorial Lecture on the topic ‘Lessons I have learnt so far’.

3. Sunday, February 5 at 3.30 PM - Director and Cinematographer Shaji Karun will guide on the topic ‘Thinking Images’

4. Monday, February 6 at 3.30 PM - Rahul Rawail, Director of well-known films like ‘Arjun Pandit’, ‘Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya’, ‘Anjam’, ‘And 'Jo Bole So Nihal’ will conduct a Masterclass on the topic ‘Mainstream Cinema Today’. A book titled ‘Raj Kapoor: The Master at Work’ will also be published on the occasion.

5. Tuesday, February 7 at 3.30 PM - well-known comedy actor Johnny Lever will deliver a lecture on the topic ‘Humor in Cinema’.

6. Wednesday, February 8 at 3.30 PM - Director Aruna Raje and Professor Dr Lakshmi Lingam, Head Social Sciences School of Media and Cultural Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, will impart their views on the topic ‘Making Films & Watching Films: Gender in Hindi Cinema’.

7. Wednesday, February 8 at 4.30 PM – Well-known actress Vidya Balan will share her views on the topic ‘Challenges of Female Actors in the Entertainment World’.

All the workshops would be held at PVR, Pavilion on the Senapati Bapat Road and no separate registration is required to attend the workshop. All those who have registered for PIFF will be able to attend the workshops on a first come first serve basis.