MARGAO: Goa’s first film festival focusing on children, Bulbul Children’s International Film Festival (BCIFF), will be held from January 9 to 13, 2024 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Children will be exposed to new technology and the visual wonders in the form of VFX, 2D and 3D animations on film. Named after Goa’s state bird, the Bulbul, the five-day festival is dedicated to showcasing the finest in children’s cinema from around the world.
The opening ceremony will be held on January 9 at 4 pm. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is the patron of the festival will inaugurate the festival along with Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who is the BCIFF chairman and Damu Naik, BCIFF vice-chairman.
The ceremony will be attended by various dignitaries including international jury members, renowned international filmmakers, Indian actors and celebrities.
BCIFF is open to children and adults too. The festival is set to showcase a diverse selection of 55 films, including 12 competition films, 18 feature-length special screenings, and 25 short films encompassing both competition and non-competition categories.
The idea for the festival was conceptualised by Antarang Productions, headed by two festival directors, Bipin Khedekar and Siddhesh Naik.
Their idea was further supported by the Department of Information & Publicity, Goa Government to inspire and motivate Goan children.
In a message to the public ahead of the inauguration, Bipin said, “BCIFF will provide a great platform for Goan children on an international level. Entry is free for all and this 5-day-long festival will explore a new cinematic journey for every visitor.”
Pointing out that the planning for the festival began six months back, Siddesh said, “The film section of the festival is in expert hands, curated by the highly experienced former Creative Head of the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI), Monica Wahi.”
Additionally, Monica is a co-founder for the South Asian Children’s Cinema Forum. A distinguished international jury and selection committee have been assembled to ensure the highest standards in film evaluation.
The international films for the festival are entries from France, Russia, Indonesia, Serbia, Korea, Germany, Australia, Iran, Norway, Netherlands, Colombia, Hungary, USA and Belgium. The lineup promises a mix of unique storyline spanning genres such as patriotism, motivation, science fiction, creative animation, and more.
Speaking about the criteria for selecting the films, Bipin added, “The selection process for films involved assessing several criteria. Firstly, films must be suitable for the target audience in terms of age-appropriate content. Emphasis is placed on cultural diversity, ensuring a broad representation of perspectives and experiences. Artistic merit, storytelling quality, and production values are also considered.”
