Renowned filmmakers have felt that the relevance of film schools is even more important in this digital era. Participating in Open forum on ‘100 years of Indian Cinema, 50 years of film education and the road ahead’ on sidelines of the 43rd International Film Festival of India in Panaji yesterday, they criticized the springing up of private film schools which offer short cuts to systematic education.
Participating in the discussion, Veteran film maker M. S. Sathyu, Oscar award winning sound designer Resul Pokutty, Noted archivist P.K. Nair and IFFI director Shankar Mohan felt that the government has responsibility in ensuring that those who came out of recognized film schools get placements, finance or exhibition outlets. However these experts expressed their apprehensions over the sudden springing of private film schools which lack systematic education. All the veterans lauded the contribution of Pune based Film and Television Institute of India to film education in the country. Over the last 50 years this institute has given a number of renowned film makers to the industry. The ongoing film festival has a separate section on films made by students of FTII Pune, Satyajit Ray FTII, Kolkata, AJK Mass communication Research Center at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi and MGR FTTII, Chennai.