Children exploring all facets of films: CM

Children, who were once limited to acting in cinema, are now proving their mettle in various departments of cinema, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the first edition of the International Children’s Film Festival of Kerala (ICFFK), organised by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare and the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, here on Tuesday.

“Children these days grow up in the midst of images, in mobile phones and ipads. In the earlier days, children just used to act in films. Now, they have started making films and are trying their hand and succeeding in various departments. Festivals like this, which focus on children’s cinema, will provide inspiration and opportunity for more young talents,” he said.

M. Mukesh, MLA, chairman of the festival organising committee, who presided over the inaugural event, said no mainstream film could become a success without the help of children, even though they were not that involved in the process.

“Many are reluctant to make films with children as the central characters, even if the story is promising. They are concerned that the film will not succeed if children play the main characters. But, no film can become a hit unless the children come to the theatres with parents. This is evident in the captions in the posters of various hit movies,” said Mr. Mukesh.

He said the young delegates were lucky to have an opportunity to watch so many films over a week. “Many of us who are now active in the film world have to struggle a lot to catch a film when we were of your age. The successful actors and filmmakers started off by watching a lot of films, after much struggle. This is a great opportunity for you all, as you get to watch more than a hundred films over a week,” he said.