Centenary Film Festival to be launched in capital April 25

Centenary Film Festival, a six-day extravaganza, will celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema in all its glory when it starts here April 25.

The screening of a silent film backed by a live orchestra, a play on the life and times of Dadasaheb Phalke, showcasing of classic and contemporary films, and a Satyajit Ray retrospective will be the event's highlights, said a statement.

The festival, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, will commence with the inauguration of an exhibition titled 'Indian Cinema 100 (Celebrating a Century: An Audio Visual Voyage)', by Manish Tewari, Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

The highlight of the inaugural programme of the festival will be the screening of silent film "Throw of Dice", with a live musical orchestra by maestro Nishat Khan.

A play on Dadasaheb Phalke by Aamir Raza Hussain would mark the end of the festival April 30.

The fest, being celebrated at the Siri Fort auditorium as well as other venues such as Jamia Milia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University and India Habitat Center, will also screen films by master directors such as Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal and Adoor Gopalakrishnan, among others.

The event will also pay tributes to some of the finest actors of popular Indian cinema, who are no more. These include special screenings of films featuring actors like Balraj Sahni, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna.

The Films Division of India will showcase some gems out of its archive, such as news reel documentaries, shorts, features and animation films on diverse subjects.

Another key highlight of the festival is the 'Cut-Uncut', a three-day workshop conceived and being executed by members of the Central Board of Film Certification.

The centenary celebrations will culminate in the National Film Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan May 3.