Times of India

Bangalore, Feb 19: There’s a dearth of children’s films and lack of scriptwriters today. It’s high time that the concerned authorities set up a children’s film academy, observed N R Nanjunde Gowda, president of Children’s Film Festival of India. 

Inaugurating a four-day national children film festival on Monday, he said such an academy can focus on making children’s film, and motivate and encourage scriptwriters and directors.

Filmi fundas

Fifty-six films will be screened in Bangalore, Hassan, Mangalore and Davanagere, and the city’s theatres will screen 24 films.

 As there aren’t many theatres to screen children’s films, Gowda urged the state to equip Bal Bhavans and Kalamandirs in districts with projectors. This will help screening on weekends. 

As a genre, children’s films have been neglected by the film industry for a while. But the industry is aware of the genre’s potential now and is pitching in to support the fest, added Gowda.Opposing the conversion of Bal Bhavan into an amusement park, Gowda said it should remain a cultural centre. Actor Punith Rajkumar — once a child actor himself — said award-winning films have to be screened to regain the glory of children’s films. “I want to try my hand at directing. If I do take it up, my first film will be for kids,’’ added Punith. The festival’s brand ambassador, Upendra, was present on the occasion. Beginning this June, kids can see films in schools. Information departments in each district will arrange for films based on the requirements of the schools. 

Actors/producers Upendra and Punith promised to donate projectors. Upendra called upon the film industry to produce quality films for kids and make use of the subsidy granted for such films.