The 6-Day ASEAN Indian Film Festival kicked-off in New Deli with the screening of first Jasari language movie “Sinjar”. The Directorate of Film Festivals is organizing ASEAN India Film Festival from 25th to 30th May 2018 in Delhi in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (ASEAN Multilateral Division). This festival is one of the parts of the series of events to commemorate the 25 years of ASEAN and India relations.

Col Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Sports & Youth Affairs, inaugurated the ASEAN India Film Festival on Friday in New Delhi.

During the 6 days festival, around 32 films from 11 different countries are to be screened. Beyond films, the festival will also panel discussions on a various aspect of cinema. The Film Festival is non-competitive. This year the tagline of the Festival is ‘Friendship through Films’.

The invited guests from the member countries and India will be on the panel for discussions. Following are the tentative topics for discussions:

· India-ASEAN Film Market – Co-Production Opportunities.

· Cinema as a Vehicle for Cultural Friendship.

· Portrayal of Woman in ASEAN Cinema.

Students of Film, Media and Drama Institutes to take part in the interactive sessions. As a part of the interactive Sessions, hour-long discussions and interactive sessions on different aspects of filmmaking for the students of cinema and cine enthusiasts will be held from 11:00 am from 26th – 28th May 2018.

Col Rajyavardhan Rathore in his speech said that this film festival is a means of improving friendship relation between different countries. The film is an art of storytelling and is different from theatres and other forms of storytelling. The story can be from anywhere and it doesn’t matter as emotions and feelings are common across the world. To help the foreign filmmakers to shoot their films in India Film Facilitation Cell, a single window clearance mechanism has been created and it will help them in a big way.

The Directorate of Film Festival aims to provide access to new trends in filmmaking by providing the platform for an exchange of ideas, culture, and experiences in the field of cinema. The ASEAN film festival will have countries which have immense and colorful cultural diversity but share common historical thread. This festival will give an opportunity to the filmmakers to screenings of films, alongside exchange of ideas, discussions between the film personalities and interactive sessions with the audience.