IFFI 50: ICFT’s UNESCO Gandhi Medal

Georges Dupont, Director General, Paris-based International Council for Film Television and Audio-visual Communication (ICFT) and Project Manager, ICFT, Ms. Xueyuan Hun, addressed a press conference at IFFI 2019. “Movies are becoming more aggressive these days and that is good in a way, because now, people can see what actually happened and do not remain blind to their surroundings,” Mr. Dupont said.

Ms. Xueyuan Hun spoke about the upcoming platform to be launched next year that strives to follow on three goals: build peace, stimulate creation in youngsters and explore the endless opportunity of moving images. It hopes to foster, better communication between youngsters and professionals to make more innovations, with ultimate aim of building peace in people’s mind.

With reference to inculcating education at a school level in making films that promote peace, Hun said, "The moving image is the most powerful way to express an idea. What to teach and what you can do with moving image is the key. Media education is about information, expression and what people can learn from what media gives.” In terms of connecting young film-makers in India to the youth platform, Hun said they would be happy to develop further projects between IFFI and ICFT, next year.

IFFI collaborates with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), to present a special ICFT Prize, the UNESCO Gandhi Medal. UNESCO issued commemorative medal in 1994, marking the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Since then, the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award is being given to a film that best reflects Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of peace, tolerance and non-violence. This year 7 foreign renowned films namely Ama Khando, Oray, Rwanda, Sanctorum, The Infiltrators, The Warden, Vitality and one Indian film (Bahattar Hoorain) competed for this exemplary award. Rwanda was the winner, with a Special Mention for Bahattar Hoorain.

ICFT-UNESCO Fellini medal was awarded to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on completion of its glorious 50 editions.