Mah eyes to make theatres available for documentary screenings

The Maharashtra government will support documentary filmmakers by making available theatres for screening of their films at least on specific days, state minister Yogesh Sagar has said.

He was speaking here on Friday while inaugurating KSHITIJ, a documentary film club launched by Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, in association with Indian Documentary Producers' Association (IDPA).

"We may not have many platforms for screening of documentaries, but what we do have is a large number of subjects for documentary making, as I can tell from my social work among tribal communities, rural people and children of sex workers," the Minister of State for Urban Development said.

"The government will provide all the help to documentary filmmakers by making at least four Sundays available for documentary screening in theatres available with the state government," Sagar added.

President of IDPA, Usha Deshpande, said that among various shortages faced by the documentary filmmakers, the worst kind is the "shortage of audience".

Director General, Films Division, Prashant Pathrabe, said digital medium has opened up avenues for documentary film screening.

"Theatres are out of bound for documentaries as theatres are looking at revenue generation. With the advent of digital and OTT platforms, new possibilities have opened for documentary films," he said.

"With 8,000 films in its store and a glorious history of 70 years, Films Division believes that not only digital, but the physical platform is also necessary for documentaries," he added.

Acclaimed documentary film "Secret Life of Frogs" made by Ajay and Vijay Bedi was screened as the inauguration of the club.

Public screenings will be organised on the second and fourth Friday of every month at Films Division Complex, followed by interaction with the director or curator of the film.