Port Blair, Nov. 1: The much awaited Centenary Film Festival is all set to begin from tomorrow in Port Blair city. The film festival will be inaugurated by the Lt. Governor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Bhopinder Singh on Friday 2nd November 2012 at 6.00 pm at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute of Technology Auditorium (DBRAIT), Pahargaon, Port Blair.

Addressing a press conference today at Megapode Nest Resort, the Director of IP&T, Shri Amit Satija said, “It is a proud moment for the islanders as the Centenary Film Festival is being organised in the islands apart from other stated in the country. The festival he said is being organised by the A&N Administration, Directorate of Film Festivals and National Film Archives, India, Ministry of I&B.”

The Director further said, “Such film festivals usually do not screen commercial movies and concentrate mainly on classics. It was the IP&T which had persuaded with the concerned directorate to consider the case of Islands on priority as we do not have cinema theatres. It was only after long persuasion that we have been able to bring films like Barfi, which is still being screened in cinema theatres in the mainland”.

Amit Satija also said that there are also films like Raja Harishchandra (Silent Movie) which is not only knowledge executing but also a visual retreat for everyone.

A total of 15 films will be screened during the three day film festival and efforts are being made by the Directorate of IP&T to collect as many DVDs as possible of the films that will be screened. This is being done to screen the films at various places across the islands during a span of one month, Satija said.

 The Director also disclosed that this time due to their pre-occupation, the film personalities and directors will not be able to make it to the Islands. Infact he said that the IP&T had also plans to have a one day workshop on films on 4th November but had to be cancelled because of the absence of the above personalities.