MP Tribal Film Festival Goes Global

Vanya' an undertaking of Tribal Welfare Department, Madhya Pradesh, is organizing an “International Festival of Films on Tribal Art & Culture (IFFTAC)-2008” jointly with Indian Infotainment Media Corporation (IIMC) in Indore from 1 to 3 February 2008.

The festival, which will be held at the sprawling Gandhi Hall, aims at providing a common platform for the film makers of the world, who are involved in making films on tribal art & culture. While promoting the making of such films the festival intends to recognize authentic, artistic and informative films on this subject, as well as draw the attention of policy makers towards promoting tribal art & culture and their ways of living, which actually reflects our special national culture and tradition.

IFFTAC-2008 is an international event, which will be the first ever in its own style. Tribal art film makers from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe are expected to participate in this festival.

While showing the best films based on tribal art and culture during IFFTAC, an exhibition-cum sale stalls of tribal painting, sculptures etc. will also be organized at the venue. From the commercial point of view this will provide a big opportunity for tribal arts, according to organizers.

Vanya has been active in promoting tribal art & culture, tradition, literature, myths, beliefs and their ways of living. Vanya has been effective in socializing the tribal traditions and culture, existent in remote forest areas, with the present day society through the use of modern printing and electronic mediums. Vanya also organizes workshops and exhibitions on tribal paintings and sculptures at the highest level to acquaint the tribal artists with the world of Art and provide a platform to exhibit their skills. Efforts of Vanya have resulted in various tribal artists of Madhya Pradesh attaining various feats in the country.

Vanya is active in promoting the market value of tribal products. We give our support to all those government departments, which are involved in promoting tribal products marketing.

Vanya is also supporting various government agencies involved in promoting goods produced by tribals, its sale in weekly markets or meals in nearby towns. It provides all possible cooperation to agencies, which are associated in organizing tribal products based fairs and festivals at the state and national levels.

Likewise, the organization helps agencies, which are working for improvement in tribal goods production technology and institutionalizing skills for tribal arts and crafts to preserve their purity and at the same time helping in popularizing them.

Through IFFTAC, Vanya will be providing a platform for grand exposure of tribal art and culture globally. Therefore after this first festival we would like to continue it as an annual affair.

Madhya Pradesh is dominated by the Tribal population. The differences in the tribal community, spread over in various parts of the state, is clearly seen not only on the basis of their heredity, lifestyle and cultural traditions, but also from their social, economic structure, religious beliefs and their language and speech.
The main tribal groups in Madhya Pradesh are Gond, Bhil, Baiga, Korku, Bhariya, Halba, Kaul, Mariya and Sahariya . Dhar, Jhabua and Mandla districts have more than 50 percent tribal population. In Khargone, Chhindwara, Seoni, Sidhi and Shahdol districts 30 to 50 percent population is of tribes. Maximum population is that of Gond tribes.

Film Festival City : Indore
Indore is located in the heart of the Malwa plateau just south from the Satpura Range and bounded by the districts Khargone (West Nimar) to the south and Dhar to the West. Both are tribal districts, where have major population of Bhill, Bhilala and Korku tribes.
Indore is the economic and commercial hub of the Malwa region and personifies rich culture and traditions of central Madhya Pradesh. It is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of the Indore District and Division.
Indore City was named after the Indreshwar temple, which was built in 1741. Built and planned by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, Indore City has a very colorful past.

Film Festival Venue: Gandhi Hall:
The film festival venue Gandhi hall in Indore, has a marvelous history. The hall was built in 1904 and originally named King Edward's Hall, it was renamed Mahatma Gandhi Hall in 1948. Its architectural style is Indo-Gothic. Made in Seoni stone, its domes and staples are a landmark of Indore today. It has a four-faced clock tower in front, because of which it is locally known as Ghanta Ghar. It is frequently the venue for the various book and painting exhibitions, fairs and festivals held throughout the year. The building also has a library, a children's park and a temple.