The ten films from across the globe selected for ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal 2023 at 54th IFFI have been judged by a 5-member jury, announced Serge Michel, Vice President, ICFT-UNESCO at the press conference held on the sidelines of the 54th International Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa today.
Highlighting the parameters of the selection process this year, Rizwan Ahmad, Jury member, said, “ICFT-UNESCO looks into the film as a medium of education for peace, brotherhood and preserving culture, and so the judgement process was done considering these parameters”. Rizwan Ahmad highlighted that the selected film for the award will address a large and diversified audience and will not be confined to the IFFI audience. “The films are being judged and selected considering their multi-layered narration and that are representative of different cultures across the world”, he stated.
Responding to a question on association of ICFT with IFFI, Xueyuan Hun, Jury Coordinator and PCI Director – ICFT Youth Branch, said that India abounds in filmmakers, talents and film market.
Answering a question on ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal’s unique relevance to India when compared to ICFT’s collaboration with other international film festivals, she stated, “The ICFT-UNESCO shares a distinctive relationship with India because Gandhi’s values of peace and harmony find their home here”.
Manoj Kadaamh, India representative, ICFT UNESCO said that ICFT in addition to encouraging high standard audio-visual media which promotes social development and culture of peace, it also supports fight against piracy.
Established by ICFT Paris and UNESCO, the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal is a yearly tribute presented at IFFI to a film that best mirrors Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of peace, non-violence, compassion and harmony. Since its inception in 2015, this award has celebrated films embodying these enduring values.