IFFI: Film to promote poor children's education

Panaji: I am Kalam, a children's film based on former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, is aimed at inspiring the poor to educate their children, director of the film Nila Madhab Panda said at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

The film will be screened at the festival Thursday.

"The aim is to ensure that even under privileged people are inspired to educate their children even the most backward, poorest of the poor areas," Panda told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

The film celebrates the survival of the human spirit against overwhelming odds and highlights the need for underprivileged children's education.

She said they were trying to engage the UNESCO and the central government to take the film to the rural masses of India.

"We have also engaged moving theatres which are a feature in rural India to screen this film. They charge Re.1 or Rs.2 per person to screen these movies on DVD all we have to do is give then a DVD free for screening. The message of the film has to percolate," Panda said.

I am Kalam has won a host of awards including the best feature film at the Lucan International Film festival, "Don Quixote" prize at of the Federation Internationale des Cine-Clubs in Germany and a special mention at the Cinekid international film festival at Amsterdam, the Netherlands.