Writer and filmmaker M.T. Vasudevan Nair has been chosen for the Kerala government’s J.C. Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema for the year 2013. Minister for Cinema Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan announced the award here on Tuesday after a meeting of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy officials.
“M.T.Vasuedvan Nair is one of the greatest among the screenplay writers and directors in Malayalam cinema. He has behind him more than 50 years of all-round contributions to the growth of Malayalam cinema,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.
The award was decided by a jury consisting of K. Jayakumar, Madhu, P.V.Gangadharan, Rajeevnath and Rani George.
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It will be presented along with the State Film Awards for the year at a function to be held at the Kanakakkunnu Palace on October 17.
The Minister said the preparations for this year’s International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), to be held in the city in December, are on at a steady pace.
This year, he said, the plan was to minimise the expenses for the festival.
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“The government has been cutting down on its expenses at all levels. So there is a need to control it here too. The money saved this way will be used for developmental projects aimed at the betterment of cinema in the State.
One of the major plans is to set up an archive for Malayalam Cinema, as suggested by the Adoor committee, so that prints of old classics can be preserved. We have requested for aid from the Centre too. Another plan is to set up an exclusive theatre complex for the IFFK. We have shortlisted a few locations,” he said.
Asked about reports that Chalachitra Academy was planning to do away with the FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards given as part of the IFFK, Mr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan said the awards would be retained, but it would be given only to films that are part of the competition and not to any film that is screened, as has been the recent practice.