Its a kiddie show all the way

HYDERABAD: The 17th International Children’s Film Festival began on Tuesday with palpable excitement. Being screened in 13 theatres in the city, the festival is an opportunity for everyone to watch some of the finest films made for children, of children and some even by them.Adding to the kiddie fest, are the children’s jury panels that will be selecting one film each from the Competition International, India Competition and Shorts Competition categories.Altogether 15 children have been chosen and divided into groups of five each to adjudge the categories.Said Nandita Das, chairperson of the Children’s Film Society, India, the organising body, “The children were chosen from the delegates that arrived.We have children from Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and even from Chicago.They come from different socio-economic backgrounds and upbringing.Everybody comes from their own experience and that’s basically what we were looking for.The kids are more intelligent than we credit them for.” A member of the Shorts Competition category.City lad Nikhil, student of FIITJEE, is more on the science side of things, but has yet managed to squeeze in time for some theatre.“I’ve been a part of a few plays.But haven’t really taken to movies as such.I sent in my resume nevertheless and got picked.” The kids who are all meeting for the first time, are having quite an experience.Says Anushka, a student from Gujarat and also a part of the kids’ jury panel, “There are two kids from Hyderabad and one from China.These are people I’m not very likely to meet on an average day.I’m really looking forward to it.So far, it’s been fun interacting with them.” The aspiring screenwriter adds that for her, the movies will all be about the script.“We weren’t asked to judge based on a particular criteria.However, for me it’s all about the screenplay.So that will be my focus.” Comments Nikhil on the fact that they weren’t given a list of aspects to look at, “I guess what they want from us is a childish, not very professional perspective on the movies.We had a briefing with Nandita Das yesterday and she told us to just go by what we feel about the movie.” “We gave the children a scribbling pad and asked them to jot down whatever they think about the movie.That’s the perspective we’re looking at,” adds Nandita.