Ladakh launches debut festival
By Patrick Frater
Sun, 27 November 2011, 13:14 PM (HKT)
Sleeping and planting fish eggs are not standard agenda items at major film festivals, but are to be key elements of the upcoming Ladakh International Film Festival, set to take place in June next year (15-17 June 2012).
The festival is being organised by Kerala-based former doctor turned film writer and director, Melwyn WILLIAMS CHIRAYATH and his business partner at Monasse Films, Meghna DUBEY. The start-up is given a big dose of credibility by the patronage of iconic Indian film-maker Shyam BENEGAL, who acts as festival chairman and jury head.
Sleeping for 24 hours is mandated for all visitors as it is the best method for altitude acclimatisation – the festival is situated at some 3,000 metres above sea level (pictured)-- while fish planting is one of several activities on the festival's pro-ecological agenda.
The festival budget is an anticipated INR10 million ($200,000), topped up by significant local sponsorship and in-kind support from the region's Hill Councils.
Williams says that the festival will screen a total of around 45 films from around the world, including approximately 15 in competition. Additional prizes will be given for films which feature an endangered animal species.
"We wanted to do this festival in order to give back to the community. There are Ladakhi film makers, but little industry infrastructure. However we have the ability to start from scratch and leapfrog generations of technology," said Williams. "We hope to screen Ladakh films made in a range of formats from shorts and features to ones made on mobile phones."
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