MUMBAI: A five-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Film Festival was held in Mumbai from January 27 to 31.
At a glittering ceremony, Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur and Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi lighted the lamp to declare the festival open. Film actress and former MP Hema Malini was the Guest of Honour at the event.
“Indian movies are a rage across SCO countries and have played a great role in people-to-people connections,” said Thakur in his opening address. Showcasing the diversity of films and styles of filmmaking from SCO region is a major goal of the film festival, he added. The minister further said that the festival provides an incredible opportunity to forge cinematic partnership between the countries of this region.
The SCO Film Festival screened a total of 57 films and 14 films were nominated in the competition section. These included PanNalin’s Oscar shortlisted Gujarati film ‘ChhelloShow’ and Nikhil Mahajan’s award-winning Marathi film ‘Godavari’.
