We are glad to inform you of the success of 6th Development Film Festival organized by CDC in collaboration with Gandhi Museum from 15-18 September, 2010.

Honourary Chief Guest Shri.Naresh Gupta IAS (Retd.), Former Chief Electoral Officer, Government of Tamil Nadu inaugurated the Festival on 15th September. Special guests Shri.M.Mariappan, Vice President of Gandhi Museum, Shri.Gopal, Secretary, Gandhi Museum and Shri.Chinnapillai of Kalanjiam Foundation also honoured the event. While, Shri.Stanley Rajan formally welcomed the guests, film makers and participants briefing the purpose of Development Film Festival, Shri.M.P.Vasimalai, Executive Director of DHAN Foundation felicitated the event. Shri.T.Ravichandran, Director, Gandhi Museum gave the Valedictory address.

Centre for Development Communication (CDC) organizes, every year, “Development Film Festival” envisioned to be a creative platform for the film makers to showcase their works on the themes and issues concerning development of the poor and vulnerable communities. We, at CDC, believe that raising the public awareness and political will is imperative to promote and sustain any development action. Film makers from all over the world are invited to submit their films for the event focusing on a selected theme for the year. The Festival organised every year is intended to create a platform for the development film makers to screen their products and to promote the public view, debate and meaningful action around the issues.

The Festival organized every year on a selected theme in development: 1.Poverty (2005); 2.Water & Life (2006); 3.Water & People (2007); 4.Culture & Heritage (2008), 5. Millennium Development Goals (2009). The 6th Development Film Festival, 2010 focused on 'People, Democracy and Development’. The filmmakers from all over the world responded overwhelmingly in all these festivals - around 60 films were received. The films for screening were selected by a panel comprising of film makers, development practitioners and academicians. Films were screened to the public of Madurai at Gandhi Museum and at colleges and villages by our team. The films thus screened were:

Day 1: September 15, 2010

Power to People by Ishani K Dutta (28:00 min, English)

Fuera by Maria Corcorran, Lindsay Katona (24:58 min, Spanish)

Nadantha Kathai by Pon Sudha (21:00 min, Tamil)

Day 2: September 16, 2010

The Story of a Municipality by Swati Dandekar (40:00 min, Kannada)

Naalaikku Malai Peiyum by A.Velmani (29:30 min, Tamil)

Abolombon by S.M. Ashraf Abir (17:08 min, English)

Day 3: September 17, 2010

The Missing Bailout by Maha Mirza (35:00 min, English/ Bengali)

Thotti by G.Murali (30:00 min, Tamil)

The Last Board by N.Sundar (12:00 min, English/ Japanese)

Special screening: Mayandi Bharathi by Fatima College and Centre for Development Communication (18:00 min, English)

Day 4: September 18, 2010

Tiger for whom? By V.G.Anto (33:00 min, Tamil/ English)

Etc… by J.K.Ravi Prakash (08:16 min, English)

Voices from Mindanao by Juan Carlos Gonzalez (51 min, English/ Visaya/ Maguindanao)

And the winners of this year’s Development Film Festival are:

• First Prize: Thotti by G.Murali
• Second Prize: Puli Yarukku? by V.G.Anto
• Third Prize: Nalaikku Malai Peiyum by A.Velmani

Special Awards

• Power to People by Ishani K Dutta
• Nadantha Kathai by Pon Sudha
• The Story of a Municipality by Swati Dandekar
• The Missing Bailout by Maha Mirza

The winners are to be honoured at DHAN Foundation Day event on October 2nd, 2010 by awarding a cash prize of Rs.10000, Rs.7000 and Rs.5000 for I, II and III prizes respectively; special awards are also to be given to other noted films.

We congratulate the winners and appreciate the enthusiastic participation of all other film makers for the Festival! We also thank the audiences of the Festival for their lively participation in sharing their feedback and comments.