JOIN USUdupi DC cancels intl children's film fest
Though a team met Udupi Deputy Commissioner Dr Vishal R on Tuesday, two days after they were asked to meet, the deputy commissioner reportedly did not entertain them.
The team, led by Children’s India President N R Nanjunde Gowda and comprising of Karnataka Film Academy President S V Rajendra Singh Babu and Congress leader P V Mohan, met the deputy commissioner, but their request to screen movies for two days was turned down. Apparently, one of the four projectors taken by the team to demonstrate before the deputy commissioner did not work. However, as elaborate preparations were made for the film festival, Dr Vishal, in association with the owners of the theatres in Udupi, has arranged film shows in four theatres for two days.
Accordingly, four movies will be shown at Alankar, Ashirvad, Kalpana and Diana theatres. While “Banaadi” (9.30 am to 12.10 pm) and “Sachin Tendulkar Alla” (1.30 pm to 3.30 pm) will be screened on November 25, “Kanasu Kannu Theredaga” (9.30 am to 12.10 pm) and “Haadu Hakki Haadu / Sachin Tendulkar Alla” (1.30 pm to 3.30 pm) will be screened on November 26.
A total of 8,000 students are expected to view the movies during the two days.
No movies in rural areas
As Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim had asked the organisers to submit the copies of the movies to be screened on Tuesday (following the chaos on Monday), on Monday evening itself, there was not much confusion on Tuesday in Mangaluru city. Though there was a technical snag in Ramakanthi theatre, it was set right after some time.
However, as the organisers (Children’s India) apparently did not have an agreement with UFO in Delhi (which is mandatory) to screen the films in taluk headquarters of Dakshina Kannada, nearly 9,000 students from Sullia, Belthangady, Puttur, Moodbidri and Surathkal lost an opportunity to view the movies. The students of Karkala and Kundapur in Udupi district too missed an opportunity.
Meanwhile, though the organisers had claimed that interaction sessions, workshops and seminars by international delegates would be held with students on selected topics, no sessions or workshops were held on the first two days.
The organisers had also announced that major events, pertaining to International children’s film fest, would be held at Pilikula Nisargadhama. However, there were no programmes in Pilikula either on Sunday (inaugural day), Monday or Tuesday.
It may be remembered that the State government had released a sum of Rs 25 lakh to Children’s India to organise International Children’s film festival in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.