Fourteen films have been selected in the ‘World Competition’ category and seven in the ‘Marathi Competition’ category as part of the 19th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), which will start from March 11.
Jabbar Patel, Festival Director, PIFF while addressing a press conference said that an eight jury members from around the world will review the films this year. Besides, Mongolia’s ‘The Woman’ directed by Otgonzorig Batchuluun will be screened as the opening film.
The PIFF will be jointly organized by the Pune Film Foundation (PFF) and the Government of Maharashtra. The film festival will be held from March 11 to March 18, 2021.
The names of the films in these categories, along with the names of the jury members who will review the films, were also announced.
The festival will be held partly online and offline in the backdrop of the pandemic. Patel said, “The state government has strongly supported the organisers in holding this film festival of international repute. We will strictly follow all norms throughout the event. We will also salute the corona warriors in a novel way on the opening day.”
Allaying fears over piracy during online screening of films, Vishal Shinde, Deputy Director, PIFF, said, “In all, 26 films will be screened online this year. We will be using a secured foreign platform called ‘Shift 72’, which has been used earlier in International Film Festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Toronto. Viewers will be able to log in from one device only. Movies shown each day will be available to online viewers anytime for 24 hours. A link will be sent to the registered audience on their email. The identity of the spectator will be registered. There will be no risk of downloading or recording movies. PIFF has become the first international film festival in India to utilize this secured platform for the screening of the films.”
Using an international standard foreign platform to screen films is happening for the first time in India, he said.
Around 1,000 people will view screenings in theatres following social distance. Their body temperature will be checked thrice before they settle down for viewing.