Premier Baillieu & Vidya Balan unveil Indian Film Festival program

By our reporter

Melbourne, 11 May:Premier Ted Baillieu today launched the program for the 2012 Indian Film Festival of
Melbourne which will showcase the Indian film industry next month.

Mr Baillieu joined Festival Ambassador and Indian film star Vidya Balan and Festival Director
Mitu Bhowmick Lange to announce the program, which will feature 40 films and activities from
India and the sub-continent.

“The Victorian Government is committed to strengthening ties between Victoria and India as
well as developing a greater mutual understanding of our respective screen industries,” Mr
Baillieu said.

“The festival delivers on the Government’s election promise to develop an Indian film festival
and bring the best of Indian cinema to Victorian audiences and screen practitioners.

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“We’ve established this festival as a key highlight on Victoria’s cultural and arts calendar as a
way of sharing the diversity and breadth of Indian cinema with Victorians.

“This festival program is packed with more than 40 films and activities, and it is a great
opportunity for Victorians to enjoy a unique film experience.”

Mr Baillieu said the festival would feature films from nine languages across India, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“There will also be more than 20 Australian premieres, one world premiere and an amazing
lineup of guests, including some of India’s biggest film stars who will be in Melbourne to open
the festival,” Mr Baillieu said.

“Leading actors including former Miss World Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor and Tamil
superstar Vijay will be in Melbourne for the festival which kicks off on June 11 with the
opening night film Kahaani.”

Released in India earlier this year, Kahaani stars Festival Ambassador Vidya Balan and has
already been a huge critical and commercial hit in India.

Mr Baillieu said leading filmmakers from all genres would attend the Festival to present their
films and interact with film lovers in Melbourne.

Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business Louise Asher said India had one of the
most dynamic film industries in the world and offered exciting opportunities for collaboration.

“The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne not only promotes Indian cinema to Victorian
audiences, it also adds to our expansive array of film industry events held annually,” Ms
Asher said.

“The Festival complements a number of initiatives the Government has implemented to build
ties with India’s film industry.

“Others include the Victoria-India Co-production Initiative and the Victorian Screen
Fellowships program which will be officially launched this year.”

Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said the Festival encompassed the true spirit of the
Indian film industry – right from mainstream Bollywood blockbusters through to more edgy
new wave Hindi films, to regional gems in Tamil, Bengali, Malayam and other languages.

“We invite Melburnians to celebrate the films and filmmakers of the world’s biggest cinema
producer, right in the heart of Melbourne,” Ms Bhowmick said.

Mr Baillieu announced Mind Blowing Films as the successful tenderer for the presentation of
the Festival and Vidya Balan as Festival Ambassador during the Super Trade Mission to India
earlier this year.

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will take place from June 11 to 22 at Hoyts Melbourne
Central and Hoyts Chadstone, with free screenings at Federation Square. For further
information visit www.iffm.com.au

16336526731883929
Neeraj Nanda

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