The ongoing LIFFT India Filmotsav in Lonavala has 12 children’s films, including shorts and features, lined up to be screened on 9 December.
LIFFT is one of the rare film festivals to have a whole day dedicated to children’s films.
Festival director Riju Bajaj, though, feels that one day is really not enough as some many amazing films come to him. “Unfortunately we have only one dedicated day for children’s films,” he says. “There are so many good children’s films.”
Not many film festivals give special attention and screenspace to children’s films. Bajaj says, “It’s very unfortunate.”
“That is our format. We have a dedicated day for green films, Indian documentaries, Indian and international shorts. There were some films that were entered just as short films, but they were children’s film’s and thought they would be good additions to the category,” Bajaj said.
The festival also invites children from schools, orphanages and children’s homes on the day.
“The teachers and representatives from the organisations we invited last year said that attending the festival gives confidence to the kids,” informed Bajaj.
This year children from Sneha Foundation, Sampark and Shikshangram will spend the whole day at the festival and watch the films.
The line-up of the day includes Sohan Lal’s Malayalam film The Great Indian Road Movie, which revolves around a nine-year-old blind boy, who on regaining his vision, develops a wish to travel and explore the whole of India. The film spans over 17 Indian states.
Other feature-length films include Manika Sharma’s Wishing Tree, Swadhaa R Singh’s Pustak and Bavli by Navin Aggarwal.
Navin Aggarwal and the team of Pustak will attend the screenings.