Don’t let the guard down , says Prakash Javadekar at International Coronavirus Film Festival

Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting,  is hopeful that India will soon get  a vaccine for coronavirus. However, he emphasized that one still needs to be careful because antibodies will take time to develop.

“The vaccine might come in a month but it’s wrong to think that after taking the vaccine we are free to roam around and do things as per our wish because antibodies will also take time to develop. So like our Prime Minister says, precaution is important,” he said while addressing the gathering at the International Coronavirus film festival that features 2800 films from 108 countries.

“It’s a great event and I am surprised to see so many films made on this theme. I still remember how some countries refused to accept that there is any pandemic but our Prime Minister was instrumental in visualizing the after-effects and started working on it from January 2020. I think that we should also start a festival on slogans made during the pandemic,  just like this festival for example – Jab tak Dawai nahi, tab tak dhilai nahi and Do Gaj ki doori, Savdhani hai zaruri,” he added.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mumbai based Indian Infotainment Media Corporation has organized the screening and award show of the ‘Coronavirus Short Films on December 14. The 2855 participating films showcased stories based on cure, safety measures, and lives during the COVID-19.  Prakash Javadekar was the chief guest and the festival was presided over by BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

The Board of the jury included Sonu Nigam, Dheeraj Kumar, Laila Tyabji, Dr. Alok Mehta, Alok Gupta IAS, Gajendra Chauhan, Anand Pandit, Vijay Jolly and Mukesh Gupta.

Javedekar appreciated the initiative of IIMC to hold an International Coronavirus short film festival and said the large number of entry in the film festival is the testimony of the film making talents across the globe.

“Happy to note that 2800 entries were received for this film festival…I think you should send this for recording it for Limca Book of Records as probably it could be the largest entry on a single theme,”he said.

Film that were awarded:

*Animation*

First prize: The Saviour (India)

Director: Arjun Mukherjee

Second prize: Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Sane (UK)

Director: Nick Hales

Jury award: The Painter (South Africa)

Director: James Whitelaw

*International*

First prize: Tato Taty ( Singapore)

Director: Dagomir Kaszlikowski

Second prize: Invisible Quarantine (Bangladesh)

Director: Sahadat Russell

Jury awards: Mugging-The Art of Social Distancing (USA)

Director: Dave McGrath

*National*

First prize: Depression

Director: Pratiksinh Chavda

Second prize: Two Nations in a Lockdown

Director: Dinkar Sharma

Jury award: Smoked chicken gravy

Director: Maaz Kazmi

*Student*

First prize: No Comment (Iran)

Director: Zhivar Farajzadeh

Second prize: Love Sick (Israel)

Director: Itay Peretz

Jury award: Mask up (Canada)

Director: Huzeifa Essaji