DOORDARSHAN TO HAVE SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY SLOT

 DOORDARSHAN TO HAVE SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY SLOT 

FINALLY! After years of appeals from doc film-makers, the Indian govt run Doordarshan will telecast award-winning and acclaimed documentaries, short fiction and animation films at prime time. From next month, the films dealing with a range of social issues will be telecast on a special 30 minute slot every Monday said Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA),General Secretary,  Sanskar Desai speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing 13th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF ) at the NCPA.

The happy event is the result of an MOU signed by the IDPA with Doordarshan to telecast  the films on Doordarshan channels - the National Channel, DD News, DD Bharati, and the international DD India over a period of five years.

"A dedicated channel would be ideal" said Desai,adding that programming content would not be a problem. It will be acquired or commissioned by IDPA from its membership and other independent producers. The MoU was facilitated by the previous Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.

IDPA is one of the oldest film associations set up in India and has been guided by such filmmakers as Satyajit Ray, Paul Zils, Shyam Benegal, Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Manmohan Shetty and others.

IDPA's Executive Committee Member Lygia Mathew who has been instrumental in organising the Open Forums at MIFF and the 44th IFFI Goa said that IDPA endeavoured to help indie doc film makers with avenues which are usually available to feature film makers only. 

 Desai observed  that a wider platform should be developed by the government to screen documentaries in theatres and different TV Channels and that a dedicated doc channel would be the next step. He also said that IDPA is committed to take documentary films to the remote corners of India through  discussions, panels, workshops and seminars. To this end,  IDPA has been working in close collaboration with organizations like Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari (Film City), P.L. Deshpande Kala Academy and Film and Cultural Society of North East for screening of documentaries. IDPA sponsored film screenings are held weekly in Nagpur and at the Ravindra Natya Mandir, Mumbai, and monthly at the NCPA.