National Film Awards

National Film Awards
Award Information
Category Films
Instituted 1954
Last Awarded 2008
Awarded by Directorate of Film Festivals, India
Description Highest award for
films in India

The National Film Awards is the most Prominent, Critically acclaimed and Professional honorary film award ceremony for Indian Cinema. Established in 1954, it is administrated by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.[1][2]

Every year, a national panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry, and the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India gives away the awards. This is followed by the inauguration of the National Film Festival, where the award-winning films are screened for the public. Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country, they hold the distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema overall, as well as presenting awards for the best films in each region and language of the country.Due to the National & International market scale of Bollywood(Hindi Cinema) & South India's Big Film Industries like Tollywood(Telugu Cinema),Kollywood(Tamil Cinema) etc competing for Indian National Film Awards, it is considered to be the equivalent in Silver Screen's motion picture quality & evaluation norms of the American Academy Awards.[3][4]

Contents

History

The Awards were first presented in 1954. The Government of India conceived the ceremony to honour films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the furthering of Indian art and culture.

Juries and rules

The National Film Awards are presented in two main categories: Feature Films and Non-Feature Films. The feature film jury for 2009 consists of 13 members, including Rahul Dholakia and is headed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta. The non feature film jury consists of five members and is headed by Bikram Singh.[5] The juries are appointed by the Directorate of Film Festivals in India. Neither the Government nor the Directorate have influence over which films are selected for consideration and which films ultimately win awards. There are strict criteria as to whether a film is eligible for consideration by the jury panels. Over 100 films made across the country are entered in each category (Feature and Non-Feature) for the awards and deemed eligible each year.

A list of rules is presented every year in a documment of regulations known as the National Film Award Regulations. The criteria for eligibility contains many clauses. Among them, there is a direct requirement for the makers of a film, and particularly the director, to be Indian nationals.[6] Films entering the competition should be produced in India, and in case of co-production involving a foreign entity, there are as many as six conditions which should be fulfilled in order for the film to qualify.[6] According to the criteria, in order to be eligible for consideration of the jury, a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and December 31. Whether a film is considered a feature film or a non-feature film shall be decided by the Feature Film jury. The eligibility list includes a section of rules determining which films shall not by eligible for entry in the competition.[6]

Awards up to 2009

The Awards are presented to feature films produced in the previous year,[7] given in the following categories:

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal

Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal

Best Feature Film in each of the languages specified in schedule VIII of the constitution:

Best Feature Film in each of the languages other than those specified in schedule VIII of the constitution:

Other Feature Film Awards:

Nargis Dutt Award

This award is given to the Best Feature film on National Integration

Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film

This award is given to the film judged Best First Film of a Director at the National Film Awards

Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

This award is for lifetime achievement and contribution to Indian Cinema. It is named after Dadasaheb Phalke, one of India's pioneering film makers.

Non-Feature Film Awards

The Awards presented to Non-Feature Films are given in different categories including the following:

Best Book on Cinema

This award is given to the Best Book on Cinema:

Best Film Critic

This award is given to the Best Film Critic on Cinema: Best Film Critic

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Official site Directorate of Film Festivals
  2. ↑ Film Festival
  3. ↑ "National Film Awards (India's Oscars)". Film Movement. http://www.filmmovement.com/filmcatalog/festivals.asp?FestivalID=76. Retrieved 2009-02-11. 
  4. ↑ "We have lots to give the West: Rahman". The Hindu. 20 February 2009. http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053311400.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
  5. ↑ "Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting-54th National Film Awards". http://www.pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2008/jun/54th_nfa.pdf. Retrieved 2009-08-08. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 55th National Film Awards Regulations. Eligibility. Pages 2-3.
  7. ↑ National Film Awards
  8. ↑ 54th National Film Awards The Hindu 11 June 2008. "Two new award categories — best animation and best make-up artist — have been constituted this year. Telugu film “Kittu” won the award in the best animation film category and Anil Moti Ram Palande was awarded the best make-up artist for the film “Traffic Signal.”

Further reading

External links

National Film Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Feature Films: Best Film | Best Director | Best Actor | Best Actress | Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress

Best Art Direction | Best Make-up | Best Child Artist | Best Cinematography | Best Costume Design | Best Screenplay

Best Music Direction | Best Male Playback Singer | Best Female Playback Singer | Best Lyrics | Best Choreography

Best Audiography | Best Film Editing | Best Special Effects | Best Children's Film | Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment

Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration | Best Film on Family Welfare | Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director

Special Jury Award / Special Mention

Non-Feature Films: Best Film | Best Director | Best First Film | Best Short Fiction Film
Best Films in Regional Languages
Assamese | Bengali | English | Hindi | Kannada | Malayalam | Marathi | Tamil | Telugu | Oriya | Punjabi | Konkani | Manipuri
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Best Book on Cinema | Best Film Critic | Second Best Feature Film (discontinued after 1993)
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