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The Communiqué News

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will host a retrospective of Waheeda Rehman!

  • 2 min read

The National Film Heritage Mission will screen four timeless classics that have been restored by NFDC-NFAI.


17 October 2023: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, announced that it will honor Waheeda Rehman's lifetime achievements by hosting a four-day film festival, "Waheeda Rehman Retrospective," in Delhi from October 18–21. Rehman has been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2021 for her lifetime contributions.


Swati Bhat


The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, announced that on the day of the 69th National Film Award ceremony held in Delhi, it will be honoring the lifetime contribution of Waheeda Rehman, who has been given the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2021, by hosting a four-day film festival, "Waheeda Rehman Retrospective," in Delhi from October 18-21.

A carefully chosen selection of masterworks will be screened during this four-day festival, which will be held at the Film Division Auditorium on Mahadev Road in Delhi. The movies are "Guide" (1965) on October 18, "Bees Saal Baad" (1962), "Pyaasa" (1957), "Guide" (1965), "Kaagaz ke Phool" (1959), and "Kaagaz ke Phool" (1959), all at 6 p.m. First-come, first-served and non-commercial, the screenings are offered.

This retrospective is made even more special by the fact that two of the four films to be screened, Guide and Bees Saal Baad, have been restored in 4K, and Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz ke Phool (1959) have been restored in 2K as part of the National Film Heritage Mission, an initiative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to revive old classic Indian films. These restorations were laboriously carried out by the National Film Development Corporation-National Film Archive

Multiple professionals work on the original film reel for months during the laborious restoration procedure in order to revitalize it. 35mm release prints of Guide and a 35mm master positive of Bees Saal Baad have been digitized in 4K quality using cutting-edge archival film scanners before the restoration process began. The movies were kept safe in the temperature- and relative humidity-controlled vaults of NFDC-NFAI for many years. The new 4K restorations are now possible thanks to the historic movies' long-term preservation.

A movie must go through a number of difficult stages in order to be restored in 4K, including the thorough restoration of each frame and the digital removal of time-related flaws including dust, grime, splices, pinholes, tears, and scratches. More than 2.5 lakh frames in a three-hour movie need to be improved. The next step is color grading, where focused efforts are made to address the problem of color fading and restore the film to its original, brilliant appearance. The movie's audio is also being digitally repaired at the same time. The audience would feel as though the print had just been developed and printed in a photochemical film lab after the final restoration.

No other institution in the nation has 4K restored versions of these cinematic treasures, so the retrospective will be a unique opportunity for cinephiles to see these movies on the big screen.


On the NFDC's social media pages, you can find further information on the location, time, and date.




NFDC is Accepting Submissions For Feature & Non-Feature Films to be Shown in The IFFI 2023.

  • 2 min read

July 18 2023: The National Film Development Corporation, the nodal agency of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that organises the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), has opened entries for Indian feature and non-feature films to be screened in the Indian Panorama section at the 54th edition of the festival, which will be held in Goa from November 20th to November 28th, 2023.


Swati Bhat

NFDC

The Indian Panorama section is IFFI's flagship property, and it aims to promote films in Indian languages that are chosen by an eminent jury and screened at IFFI as well as international film festivals in India and abroad, Indian Film Weeks held under Bilateral Cultural Exchange Programmes and specialised Indian Film Festivals held outside cultural exchange protocols, and special Indian Panorama festivals in India. The prominent jury panels, 12 members for the feature film part and 6 members for the non-feature film segment contribute equally to the consensus that leads to the selection of Indian Panorama films in respective categories.

This year, as in previous years, a maximum of 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films will be chosen. The Best Feature Film and Best Non-Feature Film of the 2023 National Film Awards will be chosen. Films characterised by cinematic, thematic, and artistic brilliance are chosen in accordance with Indian Panorama's conditions and processes.

While the details of the eligibility criteria for films and the submission process can be found on the IFFI website, there are two basic eligibility criteria for film selection: first, all films must include English subtitles, and second, films must have been completed between August 30, 2022 and July 31, 2023, or have a Censor Board certification during this time period. The deadline for film submissions is August 10th, 2023.








'NMIC Chronicles of Timeless Treasures' Will Premiere on July 15, 2023.

  • 3 min read

14 July 2023: Every Saturday at 4 PM, the NFAI screens archived and restored films at the National Museum of Indian Cinema Auditorium on Pedder Road, Mumbai. To begin, Guru Dutt's classic film "Pyaasa" will be screened at NMIC on this Saturday. Enjoy the delight of seeing these timeless gems on the big screen for free.


Swati Bhat

'NMIC Chronicles of Timeless Treasures' Will Premiere on July 15, 2023.

NMIC Official


The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is launching a new cinematic effort called "NMIC's Chronicles of Timeless Treasures" at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NFDC-NMIC) on Pedder Road in Mumbai, near the National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI). The NFDC-NMIC and NFDC-NFAI have collaborated to bring together the essence of India's cinematic heritage.

The inaugural event of "NMICs' Chronicles of Timeless Treasures" pays tribute to Guru Dutt's famous film "Pyaasa," which occupies a prominent place in Indian cinema history. "Pyaasa," which was released in 1957, is a masterpiece noted for its intriguing narrative and superb performances. Guru Dutt stars in the film, as do Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, and Johnny Walker, who bring the roles to life with their extraordinary talent.

Audiences will be able to see legendary films such as "Pyaasa" that have shaped the Indian film industry as part of this cinematic voyage into the past. This is a celebration of the innovative directors, performers, and technicians who have helped build the Indian cinema industry.

The screenings will take place every Saturday at 4 p.m. at the NMIC auditorium, giving cinephiles and aficionados the opportunity to immerse themselves in the charm of vintage films.

All museum visitors are welcome to attend the free film screenings on a first-come, first-served basis. This allows everyone to enjoy the delight of seeing these timeless gems on the big screen for free.

This collaborative effort demonstrates NFDC's and its wings' dedication to promoting and preserving Indian cinema's rich tradition. NMIC and NFAI, both prestigious institutes affiliated with the NFDC, are dedicated to the preservation, archiving, and promotion of India's cinematic legacy. Under the National Film Heritage Mission, NMIC pays homage to the enthralling world of Indian films, while NFAI maintains and restores invaluable cinematic masterpieces. Their joint efforts exemplify the NFDC's mission of honoring and preserving Indian cinema's legacy for future generations.

The "NMICs' Chronicles of Timeless Treasures" promises to be an enthralling event that will immerse audiences in the nostalgia and beauty of Indian cinema's golden era. Film aficionados and enthusiasts are encouraged to mark their calendars and participate in the "NMICs' Chronicles of Timeless Treasures" to rediscover the timeless allure of vintage films.

After inaugural screening with 'Pyaasa' the, the next flix will be another classic 'Do Bigha Zamin' by the very renowned director Bimal Roy.

Screening Date - 22nd July Timing- 4 pm Venue - NMIC Auditorium, Pedder Road, Mumbai.

What is NMIC?

The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India launched the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) on January 19, 2019, at the Films Division Complex in Mumbai. It is housed in two buildings: the New Museum Building and the Gulshan Mahal, a 19th-century historic building. The museum depicts the history of Indian cinema with artifacts, digital elements, interactive screens, film clippings, diorama multimedia kiosks, and other exhibits. NMIC is a great resource not only for the general public, but also for filmmakers, students, fans, and critics in understanding and appreciating the evolution of cinema as an artistic medium. From Tuesday to Sunday, the museum is open to the public.


What is NFHM?

The Government of India established the National Film History Mission (NFHM) to conserve and protect India's rich cinematic history. It focuses on the preservation of film reels and accompanying content, as well as digitisation and the advancement of archiving and storage practices. The mission's goal is to keep India's film history from deteriorating due to causes such as frail film reels and chemical instability. NFDC is committed to carrying on the goals of NFHM by preserving film reels, digitising content, and improving preservation and storage systems to aid in research and documentation.





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