<p> <br />From this year, digital films have been brought under the ambit of the country’s most prestigious film awards even as a two-tier jury system has been introduced to make the selection process more inclusive and less strenuous on jurors.<br /><br />The NFA 2009, the selection process of which will start in the capital from August 19, has also paid heed to the Shyam Benegal-led expert committee recommendations to introduce several new awards and a two-tier jury system.<br /><br />The decision to allow digital films to compete in NFA will bring in a large number of such films made particularly in smaller languages, such as Tulu, Chhattisgarhi, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Ladakhi, various North-Eastern dialects and Khari Boli of Western Uttar Pradesh, under NFA’s ambit.<br /><br />The decision of the government reflects acceptance of changing technologies in the cinematic medium as also filmmaking aspirations of creative people from smaller communities who cannot make films on celluloid because of the large-scale economics involved with it but who have been increasingly using digital technology to tell stories in their own languages.<br /><br />While earlier also digitally-made films were allowed entry, they had to have at least one celluloid print to be eligible, but now that requirement has been done away with, clearing the path for every small filmmaker to compete for the top cinematic honour of the country. <br /><br />The only condition the entries will have to fulfill is that they will have to be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as a “feature” or a “featurette”. <br /><br />The decision comes following a petition filed by Manipuri film industry in Gauhati High Court demanding inclusion of digital films in NFA, which was followed by the Directorate of Film Festivals informing the court that it was ready to do so.<br /><br />Jury system<br /><br />The NFA 2009 will also see resumption of the two-tier jury system, which was abandoned sometimes in the 1970s. Under this system, five regional panels will first watch films and recommend 30 per cent of the entries or six films, whichever number if larger, from their regions to the Central Jury. <br /><br />The regional panels are: North (for films made in English, Punjabi, Dogri, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani and Central Indian Languages), West (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati & Konkani), South (Panel I- Tamil and Malayalam; Panel II - Kannada, Telugu and Tulu), and East (Bengali, Assamese, Oriya and North-Eastern dialects).<br /><br />Directorate of Film Festivals Director S M Khan said two regional sub-panels were required for Southern India because of the high number of entries received from there every year.<br /><br />Each Regional Panel would comprise a chairperson and one member from outside the region and three members from within the region. The Central jury would comprise the chairperson plus 10 members, of whom five would be the chairpersons of the regional juries.<br /><br />NFA 2009 will also see introduction of several new awards – in place of best audiography, now there will be awards for best audiography, location sound recordist and sound designer. Similarly, there will be an additional award for best background score in addition to the existing award for best music direction (songs). The best screenplay award has been now expanded to three separate awards for best adapted screenplay, original screenplay and dialogues.</p>
<p> <br />From this year, digital films have been brought under the ambit of the country’s most prestigious film awards even as a two-tier jury system has been introduced to make the selection process more inclusive and less strenuous on jurors.<br /><br />The NFA 2009, the selection process of which will start in the capital from August 19, has also paid heed to the Shyam Benegal-led expert committee recommendations to introduce several new awards and a two-tier jury system.<br /><br />The decision to allow digital films to compete in NFA will bring in a large number of such films made particularly in smaller languages, such as Tulu, Chhattisgarhi, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Ladakhi, various North-Eastern dialects and Khari Boli of Western Uttar Pradesh, under NFA’s ambit.<br /><br />The decision of the government reflects acceptance of changing technologies in the cinematic medium as also filmmaking aspirations of creative people from smaller communities who cannot make films on celluloid because of the large-scale economics involved with it but who have been increasingly using digital technology to tell stories in their own languages.<br /><br />While earlier also digitally-made films were allowed entry, they had to have at least one celluloid print to be eligible, but now that requirement has been done away with, clearing the path for every small filmmaker to compete for the top cinematic honour of the country. <br /><br />The only condition the entries will have to fulfill is that they will have to be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as a “feature” or a “featurette”. <br /><br />The decision comes following a petition filed by Manipuri film industry in Gauhati High Court demanding inclusion of digital films in NFA, which was followed by the Directorate of Film Festivals informing the court that it was ready to do so.<br /><br />Jury system<br /><br />The NFA 2009 will also see resumption of the two-tier jury system, which was abandoned sometimes in the 1970s. Under this system, five regional panels will first watch films and recommend 30 per cent of the entries or six films, whichever number if larger, from their regions to the Central Jury. <br /><br />The regional panels are: North (for films made in English, Punjabi, Dogri, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani and Central Indian Languages), West (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati & Konkani), South (Panel I- Tamil and Malayalam; Panel II - Kannada, Telugu and Tulu), and East (Bengali, Assamese, Oriya and North-Eastern dialects).<br /><br />Directorate of Film Festivals Director S M Khan said two regional sub-panels were required for Southern India because of the high number of entries received from there every year.<br /><br />Each Regional Panel would comprise a chairperson and one member from outside the region and three members from within the region. The Central jury would comprise the chairperson plus 10 members, of whom five would be the chairpersons of the regional juries.<br /><br />NFA 2009 will also see introduction of several new awards – in place of best audiography, now there will be awards for best audiography, location sound recordist and sound designer. Similarly, there will be an additional award for best background score in addition to the existing award for best music direction (songs). The best screenplay award has been now expanded to three separate awards for best adapted screenplay, original screenplay and dialogues.</p>
