Daily Times

HYDERABAD: Films trigger imagination of children which serves as activation devices that set off their productive energy; prompting in them life-long creative flair. Films bring us the awareness about what lies in the heart must be heard and honed. Educational movies like the ones brought by the festival for children acquaint them with their own latent creative potential and with the social problems that surround them.

These were the remarks made by the Vice Chancellor (VC) University of Sindh (SU), Professor Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat, at the opening ceremony of the fourth two-day ‘International Children’s Film Festival’ organized by the SU Institute of Art and Design in collaboration with The Little Art, Lahore.

Thanking The Little Art team and felicitating the members of Institute of Art and Design, Dr Burfat said that visual medium was the most influential of all communication channels that left indelible mark on human mind and heart.

“I am pleased to know that 72 international standard copyright movies made, directed and produced by professionals from 29 countries including Holland, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Australia, USA, Iraq, Iran and several other countries from almost all continents are being screened for school, college and varsity students to view, enjoy and learn from the movies,” Dr Burfat said.

Chief Administrator Auqaf Sindh and event Chief Guest Munawar Ali Mahesar opined that he was delighted to learn that 72 original, authentic, copyright films would be telecast in six shows for the audience of up to 2000 people.

Mahesar maintained that he was mirthful as he could guess the larger-than-life positive impact the movies were to make on the minds of children, shaping their thought-lines into patterns that will frame them into one of the world’s most responsible citizens.

Additional Commissioner Hyderabad and event Special Guest Moammar Salik Mirza asserted that he found it to his utter pleasure to learn that the movies of minimum three minutes to maximum three hours were scheduled to be projected during the two-day festival.

Mirza congratulated the host team and the collaborating organization saying he was utterly delighted to note that five films made by the SU students were also among the movies that would be screened in the festival; adding that the movies shown would go a long way towards inculcating core human values in children’s thought system, sculpting them into what they ought to be – sensitive, caring, thoughtful individuals.

Dean Faculty of Arts and Incharge Director Institute of Art and Design, Professor Dr Rafique Ahmed Memon said that he was glad to have had the opportunity to be at the festival. He eulogized profusely the spirit of The Little Art team and the Department of Communication Design of the SU and continued support and patronage of such initiatives by the VC Dr Burfat.

Senior Manager Development, The Little Art Lahore, in his speech on the occasion, informed that the movies they had brought to show at the festival were generally screened at all major and leading children film festivals across the globe, adding that the given festival was itinerant in nature and travelled the world over.

Saeed Ahmed Mangi, artist and the secretary of festival organizing committee, in his welcome note informed that the movies being put on display were educational in essence and covered a broad range of themes in form of strong moral message to be deconstructed by the audiences.

Mangi elaborated that the diverse film topics included nature, environment, social issues, societal behavior, education, human rights, gender, peace, interfaith harmony and pressing social issues.

On the occasion, lifetime achievement awards were given to illustrious showbiz icons Beena Bedil Masroor, Ashiq Hussain Arbani, Dr Mahmoodul Hassan Mughal and Fida Hussain Bhagat in the respective categories of acting, photography and poetry, television hosting and short story writing and digital editing of historical and cultural documentaries.

Towards the end, appreciation certificates were distributed among the organizing committee members and event volunteers.

Prominent among those who attended the event were SU member syndicate Professor Dr Arfana Begum Mallah, Bedil Masroor, SU Media Incharge Dr Ghulam Ali Buriro, SU Director Dr Sumera Umrani, SU Director ORIC Dr Nek Muhammad Shaikh and SU IT Expert Prof Dr Khalilur Rehman Khombati and SU Director Sports (Girls) Ms. Mukhtiar Bhatti.

Two short movies with the titles “Are you a volleyball” from Iraqi Director and “Inclusiveness is the best bargain” from Australia were also aired.

Published in Daily Times, October 18^th 2018.