No. 3 / February 2007 - federation of film societies of india

Satyajit Ray
Founder President
From the Desk of General Secretary:
Golden Jubilee year of Film Society Movement
The celebrations for the Film Society Movement, or the FFSI reaching the landmark of
50 years was one of the key point on the agenda for the Central Executive Committee
meeting held in Mumbai on 04.02.2007.
Many would argue that the film society movement is much older than 50 years.
Though the Calcutta Film Society (CFS) was born in 1947, the Federation of Film
Societies of India was established in 1959. During these intervening twelve years
since CFS, barely seven film societies were functioning in Mumbai, Patna, Chennai,
Roorkee, and New Delhi . Founders of CFS like Chidananda Dasgupta and others felt
the need for a larger umbrella organization if the work of film societies had to be
transformed into a nation-wide movement.
Golden Jubilee
1959 to 2009
During this intervening period, the Central
government had appointed the SK Patil committee to
frame a film policy, and the committee submitted its
report in 1951. The committee opined that the film
society movement was essential to inculcate the taste
for good cinema, and recommended that the
government provide the necessary encouragement to
the movement. This was a huge incentive to star an
umbrella organization which could tackle the
problems faced by the film society and try to resolve
them with active government assistance. The major problems in spreading the
movement were the censorship laws and the lack of entertainment tax exemptions. The
other problem was the regular supply of films. Once FFSI resolved these problems, the
number of film societies grew shot up from just seven in 1959 to 200 in 1970. The four
regions within the FFSI were subsequently given autonomy in 1976 to further boost
the movement. Though the first film society was formed in Calcutta , the FFSI took
shape in New Delhi, with a meeting at the residence of Mr. Krishna Kripalani, the then
secretary of Sahitya Akademi. The FFSI was registered as a society in Calcutta on Dec
13, 1959 . The CEC noted that the FSSI completes 50 years in 2009. Therefore, it was
decided that the Golden Jubilee Year celebrations should commence from 2008 and
continue through the next one year. The
CEC decided to invite suggestions from
individual societies and the four regional
offices regarding the nature and scope of
the celebrations. The CEC took another key
decision to infuse the movement with
young blood, and emphasise enrolment of
youngsters as members. The regional
offices should make special efforts to
initiate film societies in colleges and
universities, and these should get affiliated
to the FSSI during the Golden Jubilee
celebrations.
Sudhir Nandgaonkar
General Secretary
No. 3 / February 2007
Welcome to our Website
The Official Website of the Federation
of Film Societies of India is now available
in net. Just click the URL http://
www.ffsi.org.in and have a look. Send
us suggestions / comments / advice /
inputs at: ffsico@ffsi.org.in . The copies
of all the issues of FFSI NEWS - the emagazine
of the Federation are also
available in the site. Just click the menu
"FFSI NEWS" in our homepage and get
it immediately. For instant access, you
may directly use the URL http://
www.ffsi.org.in/next.htm .
Quote
"Hollywood is like being nowhere, talking to nobody about nothing"
-Michelangelo Antonioni
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NEWS
FEDRETAION OF FILM SOCIETIES OF INDIA, CENTRAL OFFICE, MUMBAI
FEED BACK
Received the second E – Bulletin. It
means it will have consistency. It’s nice
and informative. Congrats!
H N Narahari Rao,
Vice President – FFSI SR
It is indeed good tidings that you have
worked on FFSI Journal, nearly
disappearing like DODO bird. Must
thank you for stirring cine culture at
your behest. Your efforts are positive.
carry on.
Pradip Biswas, Film Critic, Kolkata
I am delighted to know FFSI has issued
E Bulletin on regular basis. Please
accept my hearty congratulations!!
S. Murali, Chitra Darshan - Chennai
Happy to receive your News letter.
Hope under your able guidance as
General Secretary of FFSI, Film Society
movement will thrive at its best.
S. Mahadevan,
Madras Film Society - Chenai
Congratulations! The most helpful
news letter. Information and resources
are inspiring as we all as practical.
Milind Mahale
Film Programmer – Goa IFFI
F A C T – F I L E
By 1937 in England British Federation of
Film Societies was established. The Film
Society movement became known to common
cinema lovers in U.K.
Stanley Jefson, the editor of Illustrated
Weekly of India - A Times of India Publication
initiated Amateur Film Society of India
in Mumbai in 1938.
It was a sister organization of Amateur
Photographic Society. The aim of Amateur
was to make short films and learn the technique
of cinema. It was possible because
raw stock, camera hire and lab was dam
cheap.
Edited by: Sudhir Nandgaonkar (Gen. Sec.)
Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI)
New Naigaum Municipal School, Ground
Floor, Room No. 2, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar,
Mumbai-400 014, INDIA.
Tel. : +91-22-24133191 Telefax : 24131918
Email : ffsico@yahoo.com
www.ffsi.org.in
Designed by : Subhash Desai

Newsreel
Newsreel
Script to Screen : A Workshop in Kolkata
FFSI Eastern Region is organising a participatory workshop aiming to provide
basic knowledge of film making to the film enthusiasts without having any such
previous experience. Using the video camera extensively the workshop will
provide useful hands-on work experience for the participants to feel the magic of
film making in a limited but exciting manner. Participants will get the opportunity
to take part in exercises specially designed for the workshop, shoot and
experiment with image and sound. The workshop will be held in "Chitrabani" -
the film school in Kolkata, in three 3-days sessions in March, April and May. For
any further details the Regional Secretary, FFSI Eastern Region may be
contacted by mail at: ffsieastern@yahoo.co.in or over telephone on: 033 2236
3624 or by post to: C-7 Bharat Bhaban, 3 Chitta Ranjan Avenue, 2nd Floor,
Kolkata 700072.
4th Chennai International Film Festival
In terms of number of production of films and money involved in industry Tamil
cinema is always a competent contestant to Bombay . A Chennai auto-driver is
no less conversant of the happenings of the local film-dom than that of a
Mumbai taxi-walla. In addition a Tamilian film buff is also aware of the Telugu,
Malayalam, Kannad and Hindi cinema as well which cannot be expected of any
North Indian cine lover. So when Chennai floated its own International Film
Festival in 2003 we were very much optimistic. And our expectation is duly
awarded. Thanks go to the “Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation”, which is
organizing this festival successfully for the last four years with the support of
the Government of Tamil Nadu and in association with the National Film
Development Corporation. In its 4th edition (15-22 December 2006) the Chennai
International Film Festival (CIFF) has again proved that it is growing and its
growth is a healthy one. Besides some well selected shorts & documentaries,
more than hundred quality full length features from all most all the film
producing countries of the world were showcased in full big houses. The 2006
European super-hit Spanish production “Volver” by Pedro Almodovar starring
Penelope Cruz was the inaugural film. Some other note-worthy films were
Jocelyn Saab’s Egyptian masterpiece “Kiss Me not in the Eyes”, Manju Borah’s
new Assamese historical “Joymati : The Savior”, KNT Sastry’s critically
acclaimed Telugu narrative “The Ballad of Kamli : My Daughter”, Pouran
Derakshande’s recent Iranian
presentation “Wet Dreams”, Kyi Soe
Tun’s Myanmar love-story “True
Love”, the Polish community
production “Solidarity, Solidarity”,
Mika Aleksic’s Serbian chronicle
“Heart’s Affair”, Tsao Jui-yuan’s
Taiwanese masterpiece “Love’s Lone
Flower”, Ulas Inan Inac’s Turkish
display “Derivative” et al. Every year
so many dignitaries from home &
abroad come to feel the warmth of
Chennai during the festival. This year
too many of them were there
amongst whom the Indian maestro
Mr. Shyam Benegal and the Bulgarian
director Ms. Milena Andronova were
in the centre of attraction in the
closing ceremony.
-Premendra Mazumdar
Prabhat Chitra Mandal, leading film society gave reception to OSAMA director Siddiq Barmak
and screened OSAMA, There was tremendous response from the audiance (Lto R) Sudhir
Nandgaonkar Gen. Sec. FFSI, Kiran Shantaram President Prabhat, Mr. Barmak & Osama's leading
lady Mariam Golbahari.
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USEFUL Website
www.IMDb.com
The Internet Movie Database is an online
database of information about motion
pictures, actors, moviestars, directors, etc.
IMDb began in Oct 1990. It features more
than 8,89,844 film titles. It was bought by
Amazon.com in 1998.
The database houses filmographies of all
persons, cast and crew identified in listed
titles. Filmographies include biagraphical
details, awards listings, external links for film
reviews and information about other
professional work. -HNN Rao
STATE CONVENORS
FFSI has decided to take the film society
movement to the youngsters. In order to
achieve this target FFSI is spreading film
society movement to colleges and
universities.
FFSI has appointed State Convenors to
approach colleges & universities.
Western Region:
1. Viren Chitrav - Maharashtra, Goa
2. Piyush Vyas - Gujarat
3. Shriram Tamrakar - Madhya Pradesh
Northern Region :
1. M S Maheshwari - Rajasthan
2. Tapesh Sharma - Himachal, Punjab
Haryana, Chandigarh
3. Dr M C Chottopadhyaya - Uttar Pradesh
4. S P Malhotra - New Delhi
Southern Region :
1. V T Subaramaniam - Tamilnadu
2. P Ravi Maruth - Andhra Pradesh
3. H N Narahari Rao - Karnataka
4. Dr M Palani - Pondicherry
Note : Eastern Region is yet to appoint the
the State Conveors.