Bangalore boy a toast at Cairo kid's film fest

Mumbai, March 8 (IANS) A debut movie by a nine-year-old boy from Bangalore, "Care of Footpath", was the official Indian entry in the competitive section of the Cairo International Festival for Children this year.

It was the only Indian movie to find a place in the competitive section of the weeklong festival, which started Thursday.

The festival had an international jury headed by Chinese film academician Xie Fei and comprised Abla Hanafi Osman (Egypt), Kirsten Schneld (Germany), Maria Hatzimichall (Greece), Diana Fares (Syria), Monique Ruinen (The Netherlands), Basak Emreb (Turkey), Edward Foster (Britain) and Bill J. Gottlieb (USA).

Earlier, talking to the media, he said: "It feels great to be in the midst of eminent directors in the world. I would like to learn from them about filmmaking. I will also exchange views with them."

Kishan was honoured on the opening day of the festival when Egypt's minister for Culture felicitated him, along with jury members in the opening ceremony.

He said as he would be making his next movie shortly, he would talk to the directors attending the festival to learn about the prevailing trend in international filmmaking.

The Guinness Books of World Records has already recognised him as the world's youngest director who "professionally made a feature length movie".

Son of an Income Tax officer, Kishan has been handling hand-held movie camera and capturing everyday scenes since he was a toddler.

"Care of Footpath", in which he also features in a key role, "is his depiction of Bangalorean city life shot with real people hurrying through the streets. He weaves a story about them and tells it realistically.

Made in 2006, this two-hour feature has already been shown in the local and international circuits.

"Care of Footpath" has already won a host of awards, including the Karnataka State Award for Best Actor in 2006 and the Silver Elephant Award for the best actor in the 15th Golden Elephant International Children's Film Festival in Hyderabad last year.

It was also the opening movie at the Children's Film Festival, Cyprus, in 2006 and the closing movie at the Pusan International Film Festival, South Korea, last year.

The movie will also be screened at the Flicks International Film Festival for Children, Saskatoon, Canada, to be held in September this year.

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Care of Footpath