‘Kannada films need to be less violent’

January is going to be all about entertaining children as the Children’s India 8th International Children’s Film Festival will be held from January 9 to 13 in the state, featuring 135 films from 25 countries of different genres in five cities of Karnataka.

The festival, which will be held in Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli and Dharwad, is a way to entertain children in a wholesome manner and to expose them to various cultures and countries.

“We want this film festival to eventually become like the New York Festival, Tokyo Festival and the China Festival. The festival is unique because it will not just reach children in the metro and convent schools, but everyone. These are films that many of these children may never be exposed to otherwise,” said NR Nanjunde Gowda, president of Children’s India, during the curtain raiser event held in the city on Saturday.

He also added that the aim of organising these festivals is to ignite young minds, while ensuring they have fun watching cinema and also to bridge the gap between filmmakers, media and children.

SV Rajendra Singh Babu, a noted director of Kannada films, also addressed the press during the event and said the excessive amount of violence portrayed in films and television has conditioned young minds not to expect anything else from cinema in general. He said this may even have an adverse impact on children.

“Look at the kind of real-world violence taking place across the world: in America and even right here in India with the Delhi rape case. The American president actually held a meeting with television producers to discuss on how to reign in the kind of violence being portrayed. Something similar to that can be tried right here in India. As part of the Kannada film fraternity, I must say that we should and will make a concerted effort to make more children-friendly films in Kannada,” he said.

The films that will be screened during the festival will fall under three sub-sections—Competitive, Country-Focus and Environmental. These sections will help audiences in navigating to the cinema halls as per their choice.

This year, the country-focus is on South Korea and The Netherlands. Apart from the films being screened, about 27 films are being entered at the competitive level, which will be adjudged by a jury comprising children and adults alike.