Mumbai, January 24, 2023: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is organizing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival from the 27th – 31st of January, 2023, in Mumbai, through the National Film Development Corporation. The SCO Film Festival is being organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO.
The festival will open with a world premiere of an Indian film as the SCO Film Festival is being organized during the Presidency of India at the SCO. The Opening Ceremony will be held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on 27th January, 2023.
Film Festival Screenings will take place at two locations in Mumbai, 4 auditoriums at the Film Division Complex at Pedder Road and 1 NFDC Theater at Nehru Planetarium Building at Worli.
The digital catalogue and detailed screening schedule of SCO Film Festival was ceremonially released by Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, MD- NFDC and Festival Director Shri Prithul Kumar in Mumbai today. Addressing a press conference on the Film Festival in Mumbai today, the Festival Director, SCO Films Festival Shri Prithul Kumar informed, “This film festival has been organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO, which is multilateral organization of eight countries”. It is an offshoot of long-standing popularity of Indian films in the SCO member countries, he said.
The Festival Director further said, the SCO Film Festival aims to build cinematic partnerships and act as a bridge between the cultures of various countries in the SCO. It will also create synergies in the film fraternity of SCO Members by way of collective cinematic experience.The films being showcased in the SCO Film Festival, all brought by the SCO states, will allow spectators to experience different cultures and the films will be a window for people from the SCO countries to know each other better.
The festival will open with a world premiere of Tamil film ‘Appatha’, which is directed by Padma Shri and National award-winning filmmaker Priyadarshan. The film features National award winning actor Urvashi in the lead role and will be benchmarked as her 700th film and 51 years in the Indian film industry.
The Competition section is for the SCO Member States only and comprises of various prestigious awards like Best Feature Film, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female), Best Director (Feature Film), Special Jury Award.
The Non-competition section is for all SCO countries, viz. Member States and also Observer States and Dialogue Partners States in the following categories-
SCO Country Focus films selected to represent the respective SCO country at the film festival. Thus, enabling exchange among the different countries and acting as a bridge between the cultures of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization members. There are 17 films in the SCO Country focus category.
Director Focus films made by a well-known director of the SCO Country, an acclaimed veteran who is well respected in the country for their craft and lineage of cinema, contributing to the heritage of the Country. There are 8 films in Director focus category.
Children Focus films that educates and entertains the young audience while being easy to understand. Thus developing the interest of young children and nurturing their minds. There are 7 films in Children’s focus category
Short films not exceeding 20 mins in duration that is artistically and cinematically adept and captures the audience’s imagination by applying original ideas. There are 6 films in Short films category.
Indian Restored Classic – 5 films are being showcased.
Total 57 Films will be showcased at the SCO Film Festival from SCO countries. In Competition Section, 14 feature films are competing and will be screened and the Non-Competition section will showcase 43 Films.
A total of 14 films have been nominated for the competition section.
The Marathi film ‘Godavari’ directed by Nikhil Mahajan and Gujarati Film ‘The Last Film Show’ directed by Pan Nalin are nominated from member state of India.
The Russian films Mom, I’m Alive! directed by A.Zairov, M.Mamyrbekov and Paralympian directed by Bairakimov Aldiyar are nominated from member state of Kazakhstan
The Kyrgyz films Akyrky Koch (The Road to Eden) directed by Bakyt Mukul, Dastan Zhapar Uulu and Uy satylat (Home for Sale) directed by Taalaibek Kulmendeev are nominated from member state of Kyrgyzstan.
The Italian and Chinese films B for Busy by Yihui Shao and Chinese films Home Coming directed by Xiaozhi Rao are nominated from member state of China.
The Russian films Don’t Bury Me Without Ivan directed by Liubov Borisova Sakha and Podelniki (The Riot) directed by Evgeny Grigorev are nominated by the member state of Russia.
The Uzbek films Ael kismati ( The fate of a woman) directed by D.Masaidov and
Meros (Legacy) directed by Hilol Nasimov are nominated from member state of Uzbekistan.
Tajik films Dov (Fortune) directed by Muhyiddin Muzaffar, and Okhirin Saydi Sayod (Hunter’s Final Prey) directed by Mahmadrabi Ismoilov are nominated from member state of Tajikstan.
