MUMBAI: The Ladakh International Film Festival (LIFF), which is scheduled to be held from 15-17 June, has been categorised into four sections namely World Cinema, Indian Cinema, Competition and Ladakh.
While the World Cinema category is open only to International Films, the Indian Cinema section is open only to films made in India. While the competition section will include feature films, short films, animation films and documentary films, the Ladakh section will include only those films that are made by the residents of Ladakh or the films made on Ladakh.
Chaired by Shyam Benegal, LIFF Patrons include a mix of senior film professionals and young, enthusiastic cine lovers. Other eminent personalities who are on board as patrons of the LFF include Christian Jeune- Deputy Director General, Festival De Cannes, Derek Malcolm, President of British Federation of Film Societies and The International Film Critics Circle, film critic and historian Jacob Neiindam, director Copenhagen Film Festival.
Eminent filmmakers Govind Nihalani, Shekhar Kapur, Shaji N Karun, Madhur Bhandarkar, Deepti Naval, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, producer-director Ketan Mehta and art director Nitin Desai would represent Bollywood among the patrons. Melwyn Williams Chirayath is the festival director of the festival.
Speaking on the inception of the festival Benegal said, "I am extremely delighted to announce the first edition of the Ladakh International Film Festival. The effort is to create a festival that is totally distinct from other film festivals. Ladakh is a unique and apt venue for LIFF. The aspiration is to make it one of the best and exclusive film festivals on the roof of the world."
Chirayath added, "Ladakh International Film Festival is like a dream come true as it was always a desire for me to associate my love for cinema and love for the beautiful environs of Ladakh. Through the Ladakh International Film Festival, it will be our mission to give this region its due and at the same time, make it a green initiative by conserving the ecosphere here and introducing carbon offsets.
"The presence of Cannes and Copenhagen Film Festival Directors and eminent Jury and Patrons members is proof to the fact that this Festival holds immense promise and potential to be one of the best and probably the most exotic Film Festivals in the world. It is high time we start thinking towards contributing back"
Multiple screen projections along with sound for better visibility during day time screenings will be installed at the venue. There will be an auditorium screening with 35mm dual projection and 5.1 sound facilities.
Besides this, there will be two open air screenings. Films will be screened in three venues simultaneously and venues will have transportation facilities like buses and bicycles.
