Day: June 7, 2024

18th Mumbai International Film Festival to be held from 15th to 21st June, 2024

 Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Shri Sanjay Jaju today announced that the 18th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival will be held from 15th June to 21st June, 2024 in Mumbai. He said that while venue for the festival will be the FD-NFDC Complex, Mumbai, MIFF screenings will also be held in Delhi (Sirifort Auditorium), Chennai (Tagore Film Centre), Pune (NFAI auditorium) and Kolkata (SRFTI Auditorium).

Also present on the occasion were Additional Secretary, Ms. Neerja Sekhar, PDG, PIB, Ms.  Sheyphali B. Sharan and MD, NFDC, Sh. Prithul Kumar.

MIFF Film Programming

  1. Record Film Submission of 1018 films this year for the competition sections from 38 Countries across 65 Languages
  2. 118 films selected by the 3 Selection Committees of eminent film experts for the International (25) and National (77) competition sections. The Selection Committee also unanimously remarked that very high quality of film submissions has been received this year which made the selections tough.
  3. Total 314 films in the MIFF Programming this year
  4. There will be 8 world premieres, 6 international premieres, 17 Asia premieres and 15 India Premieres.
  5. Special packages have been curated in this edition, including:
    1. Award winning films package of Oscars and Berlinale (12 short films each)
    2. ‘Special Country Focus Packages’ from collaborating with 7 countries – Russia, Japan, Belarus, Italy, Iran, Vietnam and Mali
    3. Animation package curated from 4 countries – France, Slovenia, Argentina & Greece
    4. Student films from reputed institutes from across the country (45 films)
    5. Restored classics package from the NFDC-National Film Archives of India
    6. Competition films on the special theme of India at Amrit kaal showcasing the country’s growth, development, and prosperity
    7. Films for Divyangjan package for the visually challenged with audio description and sign language descriptions and for the hearing impaired with closed captions.
    8. Selected packages of films also on –
      1. Wildlife
      2. Mission Life
      3. Films by Asian Women Filmmakers

Opening & Closing Film of MIFF

  1. Opening Film of 18th MIFF will be “Billy & Molly, an Otter Love Story”, will initiate the festival with screenings in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, and Chennai on 15th Jun, 2024.
  2. The Closing Film of festival is the film that wins the Golden Conch and will be showcased on 21st Jun, 2024.

Jury & Awards

  1. International jury includes eminent film personalities from across the world – Keiko Bang, Barthélemy Fougea, Audrius Stonys, Bharat Bala, and Manas Choudhary, who will award the Golden Conch for the best documentary film, the Silver Conch for the best international short fiction film and best animation film, and the Pramod Pati Award for the most innovative/experimental film.
  2. National jury for 18th MIFF comprises of notable names such as Adele Seelmann-Eggebert, Dr Bobby Sarma Baruah, Apoorva Bakshi, Munjal Shroff and Anna Henckel-Don nersmarck who will confer the Best Indian Documentary, Short Film, Animation, Best Debut Film Award (sponsored by Govt. of Maharashtra) and Best Student Film Award (sponsored by IDPA), in addition to a host of technical awards and a special Award for Best Short Film on “India in Amrit Kaal”.
  3. Further, 3 Technical Awards for 1) Cinematography, 2) Editing and 3) Sound Design, will be given common from National & International Competition.
  4. A FIPRESCI Jury 3 eminent film critics will also confer the award for a national competition documentary
  5. Total Awards of Rs 42 lacs.

Accessible Festival

  1. Films for the visually challenged with audio description and sign language descriptions and for the hearing impaired with closed captions.
  2. Besides the special films for the specially abled, NFDC has partnered with Svayam, a not-for-profit organisation to make the MIFF festival venue at NFDC-FD premises fully accessible for people who are differently-abled and also those who have special needs. The accessibility partnership will also ensure that volunteers at the event are sensitized to facilitate delegates with accessibility issues so as to make the experience of visiting delegates seamless.

Gala Opening /Closing Ceremony & Red Carpets

  1. Grand Opening & Closing ceremonies will be held at NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai. The events will see an artistic melange of cultural acts which will include an act depicting the journey of Indian animation, a cultural performance from Sri-Lanka in opening and from Argentina in closing ceremony and showcasing the FTII student short Film “Sunflowers were the first ones to know”, which won the La Cinef Award at the 77th Cannes Film Festival this year.
  2. Gala Red carpet screening will be held in NFDC-FD complex in Mumbai every day starting from the opening film on 15th June. The other red carpets being planned with the eminent film celebrities are Poacher, Inside Out-2, The Commandments Shadow, My Mercury, Srikant, Brand Bollywood, etc.
  3. Exclusive Red carpets will also be held at Delhi (17th Jun), Chennai (18th Jun), Kolkata (19th Jun) & Pune (20th Jun) with participation from eminent personalities from the film industry.

Masterclass & Panel Discussions:

  1. The 18th MIFF will host engaging 20 masterclasses, in-conversations and panel discussions with industry luminaries such as filmmakers Santosh Sivan, Audrius Stonys, Ketan Mehta, Richie Mehta, T.S Nagabharana, Georges Schwizgebel & many more.
  2. Open Forum discussions will be held in collaboration with Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) every day at the vibrant Amphitheatre venue with eminent personalities of the film industry.
  3. A crash course on Animation and VFX pipeline has been organized for registered participants.

Doc Film Bazaar:

  1. DOC Film Bazaar is being organized for the first time, to help boost the film production by providing a platform to filmmakers to find buyers, sponsors and collaborators for their projects.
  2. Close to 200 projects have been received from 10 countries in 27 languages.
  3. 3 curated verticals will be organized in the Doc Film Bazaar – ‘Co-production Market’ (16 projects), ‘Work-in-progress (WIP) Lab’ (6 projects) and ‘Viewing Room’ (106 projects).
  4. Besides these opportunities for selected projects, there will also be an ‘Open Buyer-Seller Meet’ which will help filmmakers collaborate with buyers and corporates in the realm of production, syndication, acquisition, distribution and sales.
  5. A dedicated session to explore the symbiotic relationship between documentary filmmaking and corporate branding. With industry leaders from various industry verticals, like FICCI, will explore the CSR funding of documentaries as powerful tools for brand enhancement and as a catalyst for positive societal impact.

Dedicated Portal & Mobile App for MIFF

  1. An interactive website of MIFF has been developed providing engaging details about the films, events and activities planned at the festival www.miff.in
  2. A dedicated mobile app has been developed for facilitating participation of delegates in various activities such as prior booking of film screenings, attending masterclasses, open forums, etc. It will also help the festival obtain valuable feedback from the delegates.

Delegate Registrations

  1. The Delegate Registrations are simple but mandatory for attending the festival through the website or the QR code provided in promotional material of MIFF.
  2. The Delegate Registration are also being provided through Book My Show.
  3. There are no extra charges for attending any number of film screenings or masterclasses or Doc film Bazaar.
  4. Delegate registration Fees-
    1. Mumbai – Rs 500 for attending the entire festival
    2. Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata & Pune – Free
    3. Student & Press – Free
    4. All Delegate registrations are ‘FREE’ fort the next 3 days.

Partnerships

  1. This year for the very first time, MIFF has received corporate collaborations from more than 20 brands in the festival. The brands have collaborated with the festival at various levels – from sponsoring various aspects of the festival to bringing in expertise to strengthen the festival.

Background

MIFF is the oldest and largest film festival for non-feature films (Documentary, Short Fiction & Animation) in South Asia and a premier international event of the documentary film world, since it started in 1990. It is a biennial event organized once in 2 years.

MIFF provides a platform for documentary filmmakers from all over world to meet, exchange ideas, explore the possibilities of co-productions and marketing of documentary, short and animation films and also broaden the vision of filmmakers’ vis-a-vis world cinema. The festival will provide a platform for more conversations and discussions on the documentary, animation and short films front; aimed at fostering artistic expression and proving to be a creative catalyst to the filmmakers and attendees alike.

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CSC signs MoU to convert 10,000 FPOs into CSCs

 An MoU between CSC SPV and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare was signed here today to convert FPOs registered under ‘Formation & Promotion of 10,000 FPOs scheme’ into CSCs and help them to deliver citizen-centric services.

As per MoU, 10,000 FPOs will be converted into CSCs. CSC SPV will enable them to provide the services that are available on the Digital Seva Portal. Training and Capacity Building of FPOs will be done by CSCs.

The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjay Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC SPV and Shri  Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture in the august presence of Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 

The Government of India launched the Central Sector Scheme for “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)” in the year 2020 that is enabling farmers to enhance their bargaining power, leverage economies of scale, reduction in cost of production and enhancing farmers’ incomes through aggregation of their agricultural produce, thus playing a major role towards sustainable incomes. After today’s initiative, delivery of CSC services through FPOs will increase employment opportunities in rural areas.

The CSC has always strived to improve the lives of citizens in rural areas through various initiatives. Farmers and agriculture are an integral part of our initiative. Thanks to the vast network of CSCs present in remote areas of the country, they are already providing various services to the farmers through tele-consultation, crop insurance, e-veterinary, Kisan Credit Card and PM Kisan schemes.

During the programme, Shri Sanjay Rakesh, MD-CEO, CSC SPV, said, “It is a matter of immense pleasure that 10,000 FPOs will now function as Common Services Centres. With this initiative, more farmers who are associated with FPOs, will be able to avail the benefits of CSC services. This will enable FPOs to provide citizens with all the services that are available on CSC Scheme’s Digital Seva Portal.”

This initiative will give a new dimension to the movement of rural development and digital empowerment of the country. There will be an immense increase in agriculture related services of CSC. It will also help FPOs to become a nodal center for providing various services like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS), Crop Insurance Scheme (PMFBY) and fertilizer and seed inputs.

During the program, Shri Kapil Ashok Bendre, Director (Mktg.), Ministry of Agriculture, Shri Subodh Mishra, Vice President-CSC SPV and Shri Devinder Rustagi, Consultant-CSC SPV were also present.

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First Command and Control Compatibility Board meeting for 2024 between Indian & U.S. held in New Delhi

 The first Command and Control Compatibility Board (CCCB) meeting for 2024 between Indian and the U.S. was held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi from 04-07 June 2024.  The meeting had participation of a 29 member United States delegation led by Mr Paul Nicholson,  Executive Director, US INDOPACOM and a 38 member Indian delegation led by Brigadier Rahul Anand of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. 

The CCCB is the Technical Expert Group formed under Article XI of the Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) between India and USA, and is held twice a year.  After signing of the historic agreement in September 2018, this is the seventh such  meeting between both nations to calibrate, reinforce and achieve steady progress in the bilateral Defence partnership.

During this four day interaction, the Subject Matter Experts from both sides had several rounds of extensive discussions to understand interoperability scenarios and operational communications needs. Focused discussions with the US delegation were helpful in working out mutually agreed solutions for the current communications interoperability needs of the Indian Tri-Services.  The successful outcome of this meeting is a true reflection of the strengthening relationship between the militaries of India and US.  

ABB/Anand


The India Opportunity Showcased at the IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum

 On the sidelines of the inaugural Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum, the Department of Commerce and Invest India organised a meeting to showcase various investment opportunities in India.

 

 

In his inaugural address Secretary, Department of Commerce, Shri Sunil Barthwal, stressed on how India’s growth rate is nearly double that of other emerging market economies. He remarked on how this strong growth is also leading to a trend of ‘reverse flipping’, where Indian start-ups that once moved abroad for capital access and tax benefits are now returning home. He emphasised how the digital economy along with emerging technologies like AI and rise of data centres were key to future Indian growth.

The meeting held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, attracted over 60 participants, including global investors from the US, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Korea, and other countries, as well as India’s private sector and government officials. The event brought together investors and financial institutions from IPEF Member countries like that of Temasek, Global Infrastructure Partners, GuarantCo, Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), Goldman Sachs, I Squared Capital, Mizuho Bank Ltd, Advantage Partners, Nomura, DBS Bank and Citi Bank. The   Indian infrastructure and climate tech companies showcased their solutions and engaged with international investors to tap into global markets.

Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, H.E. Dr. Shilpak Ambule, focused on the fundamentals that are driving Indian growth. He said that the investment in physical and digital infrastructure will have multiplier effects on the Indian economy, and that the legislative and regulatory changes have created a pro-market field, providing conducive and predictable policy environment. He stressed on how shifting global supply chains and Indian efforts modernization of infrastructure will enable India to participate in them.

This was followed by an India opportunity presentation in which Invest India showcased the India’s through various government flagship initiatives like a flourishing startup ecosystem, a sizable pool of skilled and talented professionals across diverse industries, a push for investments in infrastructure projects, policy reforms aimed at streamlining regulations, enhancing transparency, and improving Ease of Doing Business.

MD and CEO of Invest India, Ms Nivruti Rai highlighted that India is keen on collaborating with investors, clean economy firms, and innovative startups to drive sustainable infrastructure, climate technology, and renewable energy projects to meet Net Zero targets.

Speaking during the fireside chat titled the Charting India Opportunity, Ms Radhika Rao, Senior Economist and Executive Director, mentioned that India strength is in 4C’s – Consistency & Continuity in Policy and reforms; Increasing Capex through government, household spending and private sector; Composition of trade shifting towards manufacturing sectors; Increasing consumption over the next 5 years.

Ms Sonal Varma, Managing Director, Nomura spoke in detail about the Nomura India report. The report shows that highest number of companies are looking at India than any other geography during their “Bottom’s up” study, a survey of around 130 companies mapping their investments in sectors and country.  India is attracting investments in broad based sectors ranging from semiconductor assembly to testing, automobiles to capital goods.

Mr Kunal Agarwal, Managing Director, I Squared highlighted that India is going through Infrastructure Supercycle, which is an enabler for digital revolution and India is viewed as a secular investment opportunity.

During the event, members of the industry expressed highlighted that the inaugural forum was a significant step forward in promoting economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. They emphasized the importance of industries working together to address the challenges they faced and create new opportunities for growth. The forum also underscored the crucial nature of a clean economy and supply chain resilience.

About IPEF and Clean Economy Investor Forum

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was launched in May 2022 and currently includes 14 partners – Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States and Vietnam. The IPEF, comprising four pillars of cooperation, namely Trade, Supply Chain, Clean Economy and Fair Economy, provides a platform for countries in the region to collaborate on advancing resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth and aims to contribute to cooperation, stability and prosperity in the region.

The IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum, one of the initiatives under the IPEF, brought together the region’s top investors, philanthropies, financial institutions, innovative companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs to mobilise investments into sustainable infrastructure, climate technology and renewable energy projects.

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Prime Minister reiterates his commitment for qualitative changes in the education sector

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has reiterated his commitment for qualitative changes in the education sector. He has also expressed his happiness over improvement in performance of Indian universities in QS World University Rankings.

Responding to the CEO and Managing Director of QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd, Mr. Nunzio Quacquarelli about continued improvement in performance of Indian universities in QS World University Rankings, the Prime Minister posted on X;

“Over the last decade, we have focused on qualitative changes in the education sector. This is reflected in the QS World University Rankings. Compliments to the students, faculty and institutions for their hard work and dedication. In this term, we want to do even more to boost research and innovation.”

 

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DS/ST


Safdarjung Hospital hosts Seminar on Integrating Yoga into Medical Practice

 The Yoga and Naturopathy OPD & Lifestyle Intervention Centre at Safdarjung Hospital, under the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, successfully organized a seminar titled “Integrating Yoga into Medical Practice to Enhance Well-Being of Patients and Healthcare Providers.”

The seminar brought together distinguished experts from the fields of yoga, healthcare, and research to explore the multifaceted benefits of incorporating yoga into medical practices. The event was attended by around 85 medical professionals from Safdarjung Hospital, including Dr Jayanthi Mani Additional Medical Superintendent , Dr R P Arora ams, Dr Gaurav Arora AMS , allopathy doctors, residents, nursing staff, healthcare administrators, and doctors from the AYUSH department, stated Dr Sujatha George Yoga & Naturopathy Senior Consultant Physician.

 

Key highlights of the seminar included:

•  Evidence-based insights into the physiological and psychological benefits of yoga, presented by esteemed speakers such as Dr. Ragavendra Rao, Director of CCRYN.

•  Discussions on collaborative research opportunities between researchers and practitioners to further validate and expand the use of yoga in medical settings.

•  A practical session on “Healthy Lifestyle Practices & Yoga for Healthcare Professionals,” highlighting the importance of yoga for reducing burnout and improving mental health among healthcare providers was taken by Dr Athiray K.R.

•  Introduction of the “Y-Break” initiative, a short, guided yoga session designed for the workplace by the Ministry of AYUSH, to promote mental and physical health among employees.

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For the first time in last six decades, a Prime Minister has got the third term

 The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today acknowledged the historical significance of the Government’s third term, unprecedented in last six decades. Emphasising the rarity of such an accomplishment, he stated “It is for the first time since 1962 that a Prime Minister has got a third term”.

Addressing the participants of the Rajya Sabha Internship Programme at Vice President’s enclave, Shri Dhankhar urged the interns to harness the power of social media to express their views and remain vigilant against pernicious tendencies in democracy. Emphasizing the role of constructive debate, dialogue and discussion in the Parliament for positive growth, Shri Dhankhar urged the interns to mobilize public opinion if they see any deviation from these principles.

He further exhorted that Bharat is not a sleeping giant, instead we are a country on move that is rising every day and every moment. Emphasizing the significance of consulting the Indian Constitution for clarity, Shri Dhankhar advised the interns to text of Indian Constitution whenever in doubt about.

Describing the internship programme as a “Parliamentary Startup” that would provide a new direction and urge to engage with the country’s democratic processes, Shri Dhankhar highlighted how citizens can indirectly participate and raise public issues through petitions, without being a member of Parliament.

Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Shri Harivansh, Secretary General, Rajya Sabha Shri P.C. Mody, Secretary to the Vice President, Shri Sunil Kumar Gupta, Secretary Rajya Sabha, Shri Rajit Punhani and other senior officials were present.

 

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Shri Narendra Modi has been elected as Leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party

 A delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Shri J. P. Nadda, President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan today at 2.30 PM and handed over a letter stating that Shri Narendra Modi has been elected as Leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President. The other members of the delegation were Shri Rajnath Singh, Shri Amit Shah, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dr. C.N. Manjunath from BJP; Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu from Telugu Desam Party; Shri Nitish Kumar, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) and Shri Sanjay Jha from Janata Dal (United); Shri Eknath Shinde from Shiv Sena; Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy from Janata Dal (Secular);  Shri Chirag Paswan from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas); Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi from Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular); Shri Pawan Kalyan from Janasena; Shri Ajit Pawar from Nationalist Congress Party; Smt. Anupriya Patel from Apna Dal (Soneylal); Shri Jayant Chaudhary from Rashtriya Lok Dal; Shri Joyanta Basumatary from United People’s Party Liberal; Shri Atul Bora from Asom Gana Parishad; Shri Indra Hang Subba from Sikkim Krantikari Morcha; Shri Sudesh Mahto and Shri Chandra Prakash Choudhary from All Jharkhand Students Union; and Shri Ramdas Athawale from Republican Party of India (A).

The President, having satisfied herself on the basis of the various letters of support received, that the BJP-led NDA alliance, which is also the largest pre-election alliance, is in a position to command majority support of the newly constituted 18th Lok Sabha and to form a stable government, appointed Shri Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India exercising powers vested in her under Article 75(1) of the Constitution of India.

The President requested Shri Narendra Modi to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan and also advise her about the names of other persons to be appointed as members of the Union Council of Ministers.

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