Best Director International Award for 9 year old from Delhi

The 18th International children’s film festival concluded in Hyderabad , which saw 9 year old Rani being awarded the Golden Plaque for the Best little directors for her debut movie ‘ Phoolwati Amma’. For Rani and Shweta, students of South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s primary school in New Chaukhandi, west Delhi, the award is a life changing experience.The film was picked out of nearly 600 entries from across the world.The 7-day film festival was organized for from children between 3 age groups off 5+, 10+ and 13+.

About the film:

Phoolwati Amma ( The heritage of our school) is a 3 minute short film and a real life narration as a tribute to Phoolwati , the oldest employee of to have joined Nigam Pratibha School New Choukhandi in 1980, as a class 4 employee. This story narrates her life from rags to riches , and contribution to the school from a stony land to a beautiful heritage.Now as she retires the film captures her deep emotions and attachment with the students who studies there.The film is a tribute to her outstanding performance and the respect she always deserved apart from the caste she belonged to.

Ms. Veena Gandhi , principal of Nigam Pratibha School said she allowed the girls to make the film on Phoolwati as it was an unusual idea and NCERT’s Art-Integrated Learning programme encourages imagination and creativity. Teachers helped the girls shoot the film that starts with a shot of Phoolwati at work, followed by an interview about her days at the school, and ends with schoolchildren giving her gifts at her farewell.
To view some trailers of the most popular screened movies at the festival.

Watch all the ICFFI-2013 film trailers  below:

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About the festival:

The Golden Elephant is a biennial festival that strives to bring the most delightful and imaginative national and international children’s cinema to young audiences in India. Outstanding features, shorts, live action and animation films are screened over seven days of festive celebrations, attended by more than one hundred thousand children and hundreds of film professionals from across the world.

ICFFI is organized by Children’s Film Society India (CFSI) – a autonomous body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India committed to nurturing a dynamic children’s film culture in the country. Since its inception in 1955, CFSI has been producing, exhibiting and distributing exclusive, entertaining and enriching content for children. CFSI is currently chaired by Amole Gupte – renowned director and actor.

Every two years, the festival begins on 14th November, the birth date of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – India’s first Prime Minister – also fondly referred to as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), because of his love for children. Pandit Nehru established CFSI soon after India’s independence with the hope that indigenous and exclusive cinema for children would stimulate their creativity, compassion and critical thinking. It is this vision of Jawaharlal Nehru that guides ICFFI.

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