32 films from 17 countries to be screened at International Children's Film Festival, Kolkata

A bouquet of 32 films from 17 countries would be on show at the UNICEF 18th International Children's Film Festival that began in Kolkata on Wednesday (25 July).

The inaugural film Moana (2016), produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, was screened after the festival was declared open by West Bengal Governor KN Tripathi at the Nandan flim complex.

In his address on the occasion, Tripathi urged film producers, directors, central and state governments to ensure children's films were made in Hindi and regional languages.

After screening of the opening film during the day, the second phase of the festival organised by Cine Central Calcutta with the support of UNICEF, Nandan and Talash Society, would be held from 9-12 August at Nandan, the organisers told the media.

Cinegoers would be able to watch interesting films like Iranian film White Bridge (2017), Chinese film The Monkey King: Uproar In Heaven (1965) and Danish film The Shamer's Daughter (2015).

"We are also trying to reach out to the children living in slums and the ones with special needs through this film festival," said Parimal Mukherjee, general secretary, Cine Central Calcutta, the country's largest film society.

This year, a group of children have taken an initiative to organise the festival in Malda district from 29 August to 7 September. It will be inaugurated by the district magistrate and feature two Bengali films.

"We will try to screen two Bengali films Rainbow Jelly and Aranyadeb in eight different blocks of Malda district. Our group is also making a film for this festival," said Wasim Akram, a young organiser from Malda being supported by UNICEF and Talash Foundation.

This year the Festival is based on the theme 'value of girls' to highlight the inequities and gender discrimination.