As many as 848 entries from 72 countries have so far been received for the 18th International Children's Film Festival (ICFF), to be held here between November 14-20, a senior official said today.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Festival Organising Committee here this evening, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Bimal Julka said that the focus in this edition would be on films from Czech Republic.
"We have received a lot of entries from developing countries like Ghana, Ethiopia, Chile, Cuba, Senegal and Austria.
"For the first time, there were 21 entries from South American countries, although most of the entires have come from Europe and America," he said.
Children's films that have won acclaim at international festivals at Toronto, Cannes etc., and some which were nominated for the Oscars, would also be screened at the biennial ICFF. The festival would also have an Asian Panorama section.
Hyderabad has become the permanent venue for the ICFF since its ninth edition in 1995.
"Some of the best children's films from all over the world will be screened at the ICFF. There will be a special focus on children with special needs," the I&B Secretary said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Prasanna Kumar Mohanty said about 1.55 lakh children were expected to view the films at the ICFF while 1,000 kids would take part in different programmes organised to coincide with the event.
Some 100 foreign delegates would attend the festival which would see child prodigies being felicitated.
The best film would be awarded the Golden Elephant and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh while the runners-up would get the Silver Elephant and Rs 1 lakh cash, Mohanty said.
The state government has constituted different committees to oversee arrangements for the festival with prime focus on security, he added.
He said that a project report proposing construction of a permanent venue for the ICFF was under evaluation.
