The
much-awaited
Pune
International
Film
Festival
(PIFF)
will
be
held
from
March
4
to
March
11
this
year.
Considering
the
current
COVID
situation,
the
festival
this
year
will
reach
the
audience
in
2
formats
-
Online
and
Theatre
and
all
safety
guidelines,
which
will
be
in
effect
at
the
time
of
the
festival
will
be
strictly
adhered
to.
This
information
was
given
by
Dr
Jabbar
Patel,
Festival
Director,
PIFF
at
a
press
conference
held
in
Pune
today
(January
20,
2021).
Dignitaries
including
Ravi
Gupta,
Secretary,
Pune
Film
Foundation,
Samar
Nakhate,
Creative
Director,
PIFF,
Prakash
Magdum,
Director,
NFAI
were
present
at
the
conference.
Speaking
at
the
conference
Dr
Patel
said,
"The
year
2020
was
a
year
of
uncertainty,
fear
and
struggle.
Happily,
we
enter
2021
with
Hope.
The
efforts
of
the
frontline
warriors
of
COVID
are
paying
off.
The
pandemic
is
coming
under
control,
the
vaccination
campaign
is
in
full
swing
and
there
is
the
hope
of
a
return
to
normalcy.
PIFF,
which
is
the
official
Film
Festival
of
Government
of
Maharashtra
had
to
be
postponed
and
now
for
the
first
time
will
reach
its
niche
audience
in
2
formats,
which
will
be
Online
and
in
Theatre
to
ensure
greater
safety
and
security
for
the
viewers.
The
viewers
can
choose
their
way
of
watching
the
selected
movies.
This
year,
the
Film
Festival
of
Maharashtra
has
received
about
1611
film
entries
from
93
countries
out
of
which
180
films
have
been
chosen
by
the
selection
committee
to
be
presented
at
the
festival
in
various
sections.
PIFF
2021
is
dedicated
to
the
frontline
warriors
of
COVID."
"State
finance
minister
Ajit
Pawar
had
announced
a
grant
of
Rs
4
Cr
for
the
Pune
International
Film
Festival
in
the
last
budget
session.
However,
considering
the
current
situation
of
the
pandemic
we
requested
the
state
government
to
allot
Rs
2.5
Cr
for
the
festival
this
year," informed
Dr
Patel.
As
usual,
the
organizers
of
Pune
International
Film
Festival
would
also
be
organizing
the
International
film
festival
at
Mumbai
and
Nagpur.
This
year,
it
will
also
take
place
at
Latur.