International film festival of India

The Union Minister for Shipping Shatrughan Sinha presenting Life Time Achievement Award to noted Actress and Director Liv Ullmann at a function during IFFI-2003 in New Delhi. The Minister for Information and broadcasting Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and the noted Actress Shabana Azmi are also seen

Israeli director Rafanan Alexadrowicz's film James Journey to Jerusalem won the Silver Peacock as the most promising Asian director.

The Iranian film At Five in the Afternoon, directed by 23-year-old Samira Makhmalbaf, daughter of eminent director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, was adjudged the best among the 11 feature films in the Asian competition section of the 34th edition of the ten-day festival which concluded here on October 19.

Samira's film, one of the first to be shot in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban regime, was adjudged for the top award for its 'powerful cinematic style and message of hope in a dramatic and desperate situation.'

The director, however, could not be present to receive the award personally and an Iranian embassy official, who was present on her behalf, announced that Samira had donated the entire prize money of Rs five lakh to an NGO working for women's empowerment and human rights.

In 1998, Samira, at the age of 18, was the youngest to participate in the prestigious Cannes festival with her debut film 'The Apple.' It was also screened at several other leading international festivals.

Critics already consider Samira as the true inheritor of the legacy of more illustrious Iranian directors like Abbas Kiarostami, Darius Mehrjui and Mohsen Makhmalbaf.

The Bengali film 'Prohor' directed by Subhadro Choudhury, was given the honour for its 'deeply ethical message of forgiveness.'

The selection of the films for the awards was done by a five-member jury headed by famous Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi who said the Asian films reflect deep concerns about human values and ethics which we miss in European cinema. He said values in art are absolutely universalistic.

The recognition to 'Prohor' is being hailed as the emergence of a new breed of Bengali directors of meaningful cinema although the film received little press review.

If 'Prohor' stole the march on the final day of the festival, so did internationally-acclaimed director Rituparno Ghosh's latest flick 'Chokher Bali', which was premiered in India.

Based on Rabindranath Tagore's novel, 'Choker Bali' stars Bollywood hear-throb Aishwariya Rai and Raima Sen, grand daughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen, in lead roles. The director flanked by the two actresses hogged media attention at the premier of the film.

Answering reporters' questions after screening of the film, Ghosh said it was not for the first time that he roped in film stars from Bombay in his films. He had earlier featured Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee.

The dialogues by both Aishwariya, who plays the role of young widow Binodini involved in an illicit relationship, and Raima, who essays the role of Ashalata, had to be dubbed because neither can speak Bengali, especially the language as it was spoken 100 years ago as demanded by the setting of the novel, said the director.

Raima said since she cannot read Bengali, it was her grand mother who read out Tagore's novel for her to help her prepare for the film.