Pics: Praveen Tauro
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 23: As part of the Konkani Manyata Divas celebrations, Mandd Sobhann, Konkani’s premier cultural organization, has launched the Konkani Film Festival ‘Film Sobhann’ at Bharath Cinemas in Bejai. The festival, which began on August 23, will feature an ensemble of 30 movies over 23 days, showcasing the richness and diversity of Konkani cinema.
The festival was inaugurated by multilingual actor Sunil Siddi, who praised the initiative for its role in promoting Konkani culture and language through films. The event commenced at 3:30 PM with the screening of the first film, marking the start of a cultural celebration that will run until September 14.
The launch event was attended by notable personalities, including Eric Ozario, Gurkar of Mandd Sobhann, Louis Pinto, president of Mandd Sobhann, Rony Arun, coordinator of Film Sobhann, and Kishore Fernandes. Arun Raj Rodrigues skillfully compered the programme, while Sumell Pongad enthralled the audience with a captivating singing performance.
The festival is sponsored by Presilla Cutinha, Ideal Chicken (Provit Foods Pvt Ltd), and Ajith Kumar of Citadel Developers. In a gesture of appreciation, members of United Youngsters Mangalore, Dolla, and Prem Kumar, were felicitated during the event for their contributions to Konkani culture.
A blockbuster of 1976-77, “Mog Ani Maipas”, also the first Konkani colour movie was screened on the first day taking the participants on a nostalgic journey.
Over the next 23 days, 30 Konkani films will be screened at Bharath Cinemas, with two daily shows at 4 PM and 7 PM. The festival will feature 25 feature films and 5 short films, including special screenings of two feature films for children. The selection includes works by both emerging and veteran filmmakers from Karnataka and Goa, representing various communities such as Hindu, Christian, GSB, and RSB.
As part of the festival, a symposium will be held at Kalaangann on the morning of September 1 to discuss the challenges and possibilities in Konkani cinema. The festival is open to all film enthusiasts, providing an inclusive platform to celebrate the vibrancy of Konkani cinema and culture.
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