Pushp Raj Thakur, festival director the films from USA, Belgium, Morocco, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, Canada, Spain, Chile, Germany, Austria, Iran, Nepal, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Spain and other countries have been shortlisted for this film festival.
Mr. Push Raj said that this season films in Malyalam, Tamil, Bangali, Marathi and Hindi languages have been shortlisted for the film festival. This season screening of 23 films from sixteen countries will be held in International category. 25 films will be screened in national category and 7 films from Himachal have also been included in the festival.
He said 2 National Award winning films from Directorate of Film Festival and films from Film Division will also be screened in this festival. The screening of music video and animation films will be other highlight of the festival.
Noted Tamil film maker Vijay Anand, director of award winning film ‘Thalaivaa’ will be celebrity guest of this festival. ‘Aparat’, an Iraqi Film directed by famous director Hassan Najmabadi will be inaugural film of the festival.
‘Aparat’ tells the story of six teenage boys who decide to work in the village cages so as to earn the money they need to rent an 8 mm camera from a wanderer.
In the national category ‘Khisa’ a Marathi film directed by Raj Pritam More based on the tragic story of loss of innocence of a young boy will also be screened in the festival.
He said all the five editions of the International Film Festival of Shimla have been held at historic Gaiety Theater that has become a big draw for the film makers from all over the world.
