Vaishnaw to chair IFFI steering committee, OTT representatives on board

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Centre on Thursday constituted a 31-member steering committee chaired by Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to plan and organise the 56th International Film Festival of India, with representatives from OTT platforms making their debut on the panel.

Renowned film director Shehkar Kapur has been appointed as the festival director for the annual event that is held in Goa.

The Steering Committee has been expanded this year from 16 members to 31, marking a more inclusive and industry-wide approach, a statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said.

"For the first time, leading OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Sony Pictures Network India, and Viacom have been included to reflect the evolving dynamics of the global media and entertainment landscape," it said.

The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from November 20 to November 28.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be the co-chairman of the committee, which includes Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting L Murgan, I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju, and Press Information Bureau Director General Dhirendra Ojha.

Goa chief secretary, joint secretary (Films) in the Ministry of I&B, NFDC managing director, secretary (Information & Publicity), Goa, and the CEO of Goa Entertainment Society are some of its other members.

Non-official members include Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi, film industry personalities such as A Sreekar Prasad, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Dil Raju, Santosh Sivan, Shankar Mahadevan, Suhasini Maniratnam, and representatives from Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Sony Pictures Network India, and Viacom.

"The Steering Committee plays a pivotal role in guiding the overall planning and execution of the festival," the statement said.

The Committee has been entrusted with recommending sections for festival programming, such as masterclasses, workshops, and cultural events, selecting the Country of Focus in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs, and suggesting names for the International Jury.

It is also asked with recommending recipients of the prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award and the Indian Film Personality of the Year Award.

The committee will also advise on the selection of opening and closing films, celebrity participation, endorsement of the festival budget, and outreach strategies to ensure pan-India participation of the film industry and stakeholders. PTI SKU VN VN