Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, (thestates.news) | The prestigious Golden Kailas Award was presented to the movie Santiniketan as the 10th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF) drew to a close here. Santiniketan director Deepankar Prakash accepted the award amidst applause during the closing ceremony on Sunday night Several distinguished guests including famous choreographer-director Farah Khan were present on the occasion.
Other dignitaries on the dais included Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, Joint Managing Director of the Maharashtra Film, Stage, and Cultural Development Corporation Dhananjay Sawalkar, renowned director and honorary chairperson of AIFF Ashutosh Gowariker.
Expressing her delight on joining the festival, Farah Khan said, “It has been organised with an unmatched level of passion and provides a platform for local artists. I immediately agreed to participate when I heard about the festival.”
Gowariker said, “The audience here demonstrates immense enthusiasm for cinema. Marathwada is home to many talented artists. This is the first festival I’ve attended where I couldn’t watch a single film because the past five days were packed with so many activities. However, I attended all the masterclasses and discussions, which gave me an opportunity to learn a lot.”
Chandrakant Kulkarni, the Artistic Director of the festival, highlighted the diverse participation, saying, “Audiences from 30 cities, ranging from Nanded to New York, attended this festival. Films from 24 countries were showcased, drawing viewers aged 18 to 85. What sets this festival apart is the active involvement of several directors as organisers, who are making films, learning in the process and using those insights to improve the festival. (UNI)