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Chandigarh hosts film festival for tourists

     Chandigarh: To promote film culture and attract movie buffs from across the country and abroad, a first ever three-day film festival has been held here. Organised by the State tourism department in cooperation with the NDFC (National Film Division Corporation), CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and the embassies of France and Hungary , the fest screened array of international and Indian films in three days.

     The festival's main objective is to promote Chandigarh as a film destination. The organisers believe the event will promote the city among the other film city centres in the country. "This was a first step. May be in the coming years, we may organise a bigger festival in January 2008. These festivals will promote Chandigarh and fascinate tourists from other countries to visit Chandigarh during winters when the weather is wonderful. Though we have many NRI's (Non-Resident Indians) coming here already," said Vivek Atray, Director of Chandigarh Tourism. Some of the highly acclaimed and popular French, Hungarian and Hindi have been part of the screenings. The distinct display of the movies here include all time favourites "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro", "Salaam Bombay", "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" in Hindi language, "Cloud and Wind", "Slap Jack and Little Vilma" and "Dance Like A Man in Hungarian" and The Ax, Violence Des Echanges En Milieu Tempere, Clean and Les Mauvais Jouers in French. Enthusiastic movie buffs in the city believe that such festivals give them a chance to know beyond what is known about cinema through Bollywood. The festival concludes today. "I think it is a wise step and the tourism authorities will benefit from such a film festival. These are promotional event and they do not go waste. The point is to make the audience aware of what is going on apart from Bollywood," said Vineet Devgun, an audience. Chandigarh serves as the capital of two states-- Punjab and Haryana. However, administratively, the city is not under the jurisdiction of either state, it is administered by the Centre, hence classified as a union territory.

     The city is located in the fringes of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas in Northwest India . And, is known for its high standard of living and tops the list of Indian States (Provinces) and Union Territories with a Human Development Index of 0.674. Chandigarh has two satellite cities (both of which share a border with it)-- Panchkula and Mohali. Sometimes, the triangle of these three cities is collectively called as the Chandigarh Tricity.
-Dec 17,  2006

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