International Film Festival of Prayag 2016 kick starts in Allahabad
Scriptwriter and director Sagar Sarhadi was felicitated with Lifetime Achievement Award
Veteran writer Kamlesh Pandey was honored with Shaan-e-Prayag and producer-director N. Chandra was presented the honor of Excellence in Cinema
56 documentary, short, feature and animation films from Indian and foreign filmmakers were screened at the festival
This year’s theme of IFFP is ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’
26 January, 2016, Allahabad: Second edition of International Film Festival of Prayag (IIFP) was inaugurated by veteran writer Sagar Sarhadi by lighting the lamp. This auspicious occasion was marked with the presence of some of the eminent people from the film fraternity that included film writer Kamlesh Pandey, producer-director N. Chandra, filmmaker Deepak Mahaan, Gaurav Dwivedi (Vice president, U.P. Film Development Board). The founder and director of IFFP, Hasan Haider welcomed all the guests. The whole ceremony was conducted by Anita Sehgal.
Sagar Sarhadi, writer of films like Kabhie Kabhie, Silsila, Bazaar and Anubhav was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Hasan Haider, the founder-director of IFFP. Along with him veteran writer Kamlesh Pandey was honored with Shaan-e-Prayag, producer-director N. Chandra got the Excellence in Cinema award while Deepak Mahaan received the Emerging Filmmaker award. Gaurav Dwivedi and Anita Sehgal were felicitated as the guest of honor at the ceremony. Mumbai filmmaker Manto Pashupatinath’s ‘A Daughter’s Dream’ was kick started the event as the opening film.
Many national and international movies based on International Film Festival of Prayag 2016’s theme ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ were selected for the festival. Amrit Ganger (Film scholar) and Gul Riyaz (Actor and filmmaker) are among the jury members while Masood Bakshi, filmmaker from Tehran will be there as International Jury member. These three jury members will be present for all the 56 films screened during the festivals.
IFFP’s founder and director Hasan Haider was excited for the second edition of the festival.” We are all excited for the grand inauguration of International Film Festival of Prayag. This is a proud moment for the city of Allahabad as IFFP has made a mark as an important film festival. The main aim of this festival is to connect Uttar Pradesh with the national and International cinema. This festival provides a platform to new filmmakers so that they can reach to more and more people. I would like to thank all the distinguished guests for gracing the occasion with their presence,” said Haider.
At th occasion Sagar Sarhsdi quoted ” You need to struggle to write. If you have something to say to the world then sooner or later you will succeed in reaching out to them. After partition I came to India as a refugee. I had nothing but my passion for writing that kept me going. And eventually I was called by Yash Chopra for Kabhie Kabhie. I would like to say to the new filmmakers that they should not be scared of struggle and one day you will surely succeed.”
