<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The 17th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short Fiction and Animation films began in Mumbai this evening. MIFF 2022 has got an overwhelming response from filmmakers across the world, receiving a whopping eight hundred 8 film entries from 30 countries.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Out of these, one hundred 2 films will be screened under the Competition Category –  35 in international competition and 67 in the national competition.  18 Films will be screened under 'MIFF Prism Category'</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Best Film of the Festival will receive the Golden Conch award, along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs.  Other awards carry cash prize varying from five to one lakh along with Silver Conch, trophy and certificate. 11 movies from Bangladesh will be telecast at the festival. 17th MIFF festival can be watched online also and it is entirely free of cost.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Addressing the gathering through a video message, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that MIFF will not only showcase some amazing and competitive movies but will also allow the cinephiles to attend the masterclass workshops and interactive sessions with the distinguished film personalities.  He said, MIFF is the oldest and biggest film festival in South Asia. Besides, it introduces the film directors from the world over to each other and to share their ideas and also provides a forum to make the vision of the filmmakers more comprehensive. He said, film as a medium goes beyond the boundaries and culture to make its impact.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;">The festival was inaugurated by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in the presence of Union Ministers  L. Murugan, Ramdas Athawale and Kapil Moreshwar Patil. The opening ceremony held at the weeklong biennial film festival at the Nehru Centre, Worli saw a galaxy of dignitaries from the film industry.</span></p>