No entry from Pakistan yet for SCO film festival in Mumbai

India will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival in Mumbai from January 27-31, with participation from all member nations, except Pakistan which has not sent any entries yet.

The SCO comprises eight member states -- China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, three observer states -- Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia -- and 14 dialogue partners -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, UAE and Turkey.

SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Gangubai Kathiyawadi' will be showcased at the SCO Film Festival along with restored classics 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi' (1977, Hindi), Subarnarekha (1965, Bengali), Chandralekha (1948, Tamil), Iru Kodgul (1969, Tamil) and Chidambaram (1985, Malayalam).

Marathi movie ‘Godavari’ and Gujarati movie ‘Chello Show’ will compete with 12 other films from the SCO member nations, including Chinese flicks ‘B for Busy’ and ‘Home Coming’.

"We have received 14 entries from SCO member nations for the competition section. ... No entries have been received from Pakistan so far," Neerja Sekhar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, told reporters here.

She said 43 movies will be screened in the non-competition section that includes ‘Toolsidas Junior’ by Mridul Toolsidas and short film ‘Jugalbandi’ by Chetan Bhakuni.

Noted filmmaker Rahul Rawail, acclaimed Chinese Director Ning Ying, Kazakh musician Dimash Kudaibergen, Kyrgyz filmmaker and critic Gulbara Tolomushova, Russian producer and journalist Ivan Kudrayavtsev, Tajik actor and author Mehmedsaid Shohiyon and Uzbek actor Matyakub Sadullayevich Matchanov will form the jury for the festival.

With India hosting the presidency of the SCO, English has been included as the functional language of the festival alongside the official languages of the grouping – Russian and Chinese.

The films to be screened at the festival will be required to be dubbed or subtitled in English for the benefit of the jury and local audience.

The festival will also feature ‘Masterclasses’ and ‘In Conversation’ sessions curated with eminent filmmakers and actors of the SCO countries along with Indian film personalities.

There will be sessions with the industry experts tracing the history of animation and also presenting the endless possibilities of ‘creating the shot’ with the help of animation and visual effects.