Reel Good

Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi invited National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) to talk about its role in talent development and opportunities for aspiring filmmakers

It was a refreshing walk down memory lane as the screen played out visuals of award-winning films from the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) stable – from the uber popular ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’ and ‘Mirch Masala’ to more recent ones like ‘Ship of Theseus’ and ‘Titli’ that have toured world festivals. The occasion was a special presentation organised by NFDC on the invitation of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi at Government College of Art on Friday morning.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

Steering the presentation was NFDC’s Prashanth R who briefed students about NFDC and its role in talent development and creating opportunities for aspiring filmmakers and screenplay writers. Over the years NFDC has worked with some of the most acclaimed filmmakers of India including Satyajit Ray, Mira Nair, Aparna Sen, Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalkrishnan and Ketan Mehta, to list a few. “In recent times, NFDC has been part of films like Lunch Box, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, to list a few,” said Prashanth who also works in NFDC’s outreach programme. As part of the special presentation, Prashanth also quizzed the audience on film facts and gave away prizes.

“Not only does NFDC help develop talent but it also facilitates the growth of Indian cinema in all languages through productions and co-productions, script development and need-based workshops,” Prashanth addressed the students. “The aim of this presentation is to give you an idea about how NFDC can help aspiring filmmakers and scriptwriters. We invite ideas from younger talent and also help mentor projects,” he added.

For the uninitiated, NDFC also organizes Film Bazaar India – a co-production and distribution market for the South Asian region alongside the International Film Festival of India, Goa. It also organises the popular NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab for Indian writers wanting to build and develop screenplays within an inspiring and challenging creative environment.

So if you are an aspiring filmmaker or a visual artist with an idea for a film, you can get in touch with NFDC. For more information, log on to www.nfdcindia.com