Festival of Indian films in Pondy

 Puducherry, Sep 5: The 'Indian Panorama' 2013, a festival of Indian films would be held here from tomorrow to Septemebr 10. According to an official release here today, the film festival for the 31st year in succession will commence with the screening of a Tamil film 'Vaagai Sooda Va'.

The film was adjudged as the best for 2012 and won the Sankardas Swamigal award comprising Rs one lakh in cash and a citation. They would be presented to its Director Sargunam at the inagural function. This is the first time a cash award of Rs one lakh would be presented. Till last year the cashaward was Rs 50,000.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy will inaugurate the festival, which is being jointly organised by the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Government of Puducherry, Films Division of Central government, Navadarshan Film society and the Alliance Francaise here.

Besides 'Vaagai Sooda Va', Malayalam film 'Ithramathram' and 'Ozhimuri', 'Elar Chaar Adhya' (Bengali) and 'Gangoobai' (Hindi) would be screened during the five-day festival.