By C V Joseph
Bengaluru: C P Yogeshwar, Karnataka’s minister of tourism, ecology and environment, has pledged support to films that champion the cause of preserving nature.
The minister was the chief guest at a ceremony to award winners of a short film competition held at Bengaluru’s St. Joseph’s Institute of Management 28.
The February 28 festival was organized by Ivan Nigli, a former legislator and a producer who has made socially sensitive short films that have won international accolades.
The minister lauded Nigli’s initiative and efforts to organize the festival for film producers of the southern Indian state. Nigli has done a good job for society as a whole and students in particular, said the minister, who was also involved in the film industry in the past.
The minister encouraged colleges in Karnataka to help humanity through innovative ways and promised government support to film-makers who help preserve life in the nature.
The minister said he was happy to see the new technology being applied to promote worthy causes that help society progress. He commended the organizers for choosing nature and environment as the festival theme. Such festivals should highlight contemporary issues such water pollution and other problems threatening nature.
The tourism minister, who commended the creative aspect of the films shown at the festival, urged students to defend society. The imagination involved in the film making could go a long way to promote life in nature and thereby tourism, he added.
Earlier, Nigli, in his welcome address, said the festival aimed to promote students’ creativity by encouraging them to explore the cultural heritage of Karnataka.
The organizers had invited around 600 colleges to participate in the festival. About 300 students participated with 66 entries and the organizers selected 20 for the final screening.
The jury comprised film producer Girish Kasarvalli, actor Jai Jagdeesh and film journalist Saraswati Jagirdar. The Karnataka Tourism Department, and Garden City College were the sponsors.
The first prize went to SJES College of Management Studies’ Naija Margadharshana by Jashwanth H, the second prize to Pragathi of St. John’s Junior College and produced by D Divinee Grace and Indrani and the third to Unsung Karnataka produced by Nandagopal S and Prathyush of V T John College.