New Delhi: The International Festival of India features a Country of Focus every year. Through this category, prominent films made by the country of focus are screened at IFFI Goa 2017.
The festival encourages friendly ties between India and other countries through this category, by encouraging delegations from the country, as well as respected individuals from the country’s film industry to visit IFFI.
Canada, the land of vast distances and rich natural beauty has been chosen this year, as the Focus Country at the 48th International Film Festival of India.
IFFI 2017 is happy to be hosting and presenting a Canadian delegation, in addition to presenting a package of 8 best films from recent Canadian Cinema.
The screenings have begun on the 21st November and will include 8 films like Closet Monster, Don’t Talk to Irene, Eye on Juliet, Meditation Park, Old Stone, Ravenous, The Stairs and Allure. While “Old Stone” was the Canada Focus Opening Film, “Meditation Park” will be the Country Focus – Gala Screening.
Mr. Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, Ms. Marielle Poupelin, Interim Director, International Promotion and Ms. April Mullen, Filmmaker-Producer and Actress from Canada attended the Festival as Special Guests and are the panelists for the Indo – Canada co-production seminar, proposed to be organized by the Canadian High Commission in India during the Festival.
At the press conference today, talking about their partnership with IFFI 2017, says Cameron Bailey, “I’m pleased to be associated with IFFI 2017 and glad to see all colleagues and friends like Mr Sunit Tandon as well as some of the filmmakers and journalists. Today, we are so happy to be presenting focus at the Canadian films at IFFI Goa. This is for me the combination of the kind of bridge that we have been building it between India and Canada at our respective film industries for many years. There have been several independent films being showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now, we bring Canadian films to India and showcasing 8 independent films.”
The following films and delegates are participating at the 48th IFFI:
Closet Monster
Dir.: Stephen Dunn
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
Stephen Dunn (Director), Sofia Banzhaf (Actress)
Don’t Talk to Irene
Dir.: Pat Mills
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
Pat Mills (Director)
Mike MacMillan (Producer)
Eye on Juliet
Dir.: Kim Nguyen
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
Brent Andrew Skagford (Actor)
Meditation Park
Dir.: Mina Shum
COUNTRY FOCUS –GALA SCREENING
Mina Shum (Director)
Stephen Hegyes (Producer), Tzi Ma (Actor), Cheng Pei Pei (Actress), Don Mckellar (Actor) & Jennifer Yuan Hu Ji Martin ( Cheng Pei Pei’s Daughter and Personal Assistant)
Old Stone
Dir.: Johnny Ma
COUNTRY FOCUS – OPENING FILM
Johnny Ma
Ravenous (Les Affamés)
Dir.: Robin Aubert
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
No Representative
The Stairs (Documentary)
Dir.: Hugh Gibson
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
Hugh Gibson (Director), Roxanne Smith (One of the protagonists)
Allure
Dir.: Carlos Sanchez, Jason Sanchez
COUNTRY FOCUS CANADA
No Representative
The 48th Edition of IFFI will take place from the 20th to 28th of November, 2017 in the beach state of Goa. IFFI is India’s biggest and Asia’s oldest film festival, making it one of the most prestigious in the world.
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