AP To Encourage Producers, Directors Of Child Films

Andhra Pradesh is at the fore front of promoting film makers, to produce quality films, solely aimed at all round mental and physical growth of children of all ages, said Cinematography Minister D K Aruna.

The minister said that the main aim of the film festival is to give an opportunity to children from all over the country, especially from the rural backgrounds, to participate and view the best of the world cinema.

"Exposure and interaction is the main strategy with which the state government has been sponsoring the International Children's Film Festival every second year," she said.

Aruna said that Hyderabad was made the permanent venue for the bi-annual event, after the huge success of the festival held here in 1995 for the first time.

AP government has been encouraging children's film makers, and also directors since then.

The minister called upon film makers to exploit all the advantages and sops offered by the government, and to make films with "not just commercial motive but also with a provision for quality entertainment and personal building elements".

For the first time 3D movies will be screened during the 18th International Children's Film Festival, India in Hyderabad from November 14-20, she added.

Aruna said that foolproof arrangements have been made for the health, security, transport and hospitality for children coming from all over India, and particularly the rural Andhra Pradesh schools.

"All the child delegates will be accommodated in 3-star hotels for the first time," she said.

The hallmark of the festival was the selection of 5 child delegates from each district to attend the festival.

"It will be an all children event with felicitation of 2 child prodigies in the daily," she said.

The state government is throwing its "entire weight in ensuring that the festival becomes a grand success", and has left no stone unturned in publicity, media facilities and also in attracting large number of films.

Volunteers and escorts are being organized for child delegates, especially by the National Green Corps, and the Women And Child Welfare Department.

"We will conduct a 2 day orientation crash camp to educate them on how to smoothly handle the children from all regions, and also from other countries," said the minister. (INN)