People
Confluence of Young Film Makers
NEW DELHI: Over 25 films from Germany, Nepal and India are to be screened in the First Frame 2007 international students’ film festival being held on February 6 and 7 in the capital.
Organised by the Madhubala Institute of Communication and Electronic Media (MBICEM), the Festival will feature documentary, fiction and short films. Awards will be presented for best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film, and a special award to be presented by the co-sponsor UNITECH.
First Frame 2007 has gone global this year and the media partner for the event is SAHARA NCR. The event has been co-sponsored by UNITECH and is supported by Bajaj Hindustan and other corporate organizations.
Former Film and Television Institute of India Director Mr. Mohan Agashe, senior film critic and indiantelevision.com Consulting Editor Mr. B B Nagpal, and KATHA Centre for Film Studies Director Mr. Prabodh Parikh are among the jury for the Festival. The final entries were shortlisted from those received from Germany, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Canada, Nepal and India by a four-member panel comprising renowned poet Kailash Bajpai and filmmakers Pankaj Singh, Ajay Bedi, and Raza Haider.
Many of the entries received have been to prestigious festivals including the Mumbai International Film Festival, Berlin Asia Pacific Film Festival, Asian Film Festival (Singapore), Indian Social Forum 3-Screen Festival, and the first Wordless International Short Film Festival.
The Film Festival opens on February 6, and screenings are open to all. Ancillary activities include workshops like Reality Films by renowned documentary filmmaker from Magic Lantern Foundation, Delhi, Gargi Sen, and Gone in 30 seconds, conducted by Advertising professional Azaz Ahmed, Creative Head, Publisis India. These workshops can be attended by registration and payment of nominal fee.
Started in 1996, MBICEM is a media institute affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, imparting education in Print Media, Radio, Television, Advertising and Video Production. The institute aims to equip the students with professional skills to meet the requirements of the corporate media world.
First Frame in its very first edition in 2003 screened both fictional and documentary films. The participation of students was from three media colleges of Delhi; MBICEM, IP College for Women and Sri Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communication. Mrs. Aruna Vasudev, Editor, Cinemaya, was the guest of Honor for the event. The 2004 edition was bigger, inviting participation from institutes at national level like MCRC, St.Xavier’s College Mumbai, YMCA and FTII.
People
BBC appoints Matt Brittin as 18th Director-General
Former Google EMEA president to lead broadcaster from May amid global change
LONDON: The BBC has named Matt Brittin as its 18th Director-General, placing a seasoned technology and media leader at the helm of one of the world’s most influential public broadcasters. He will formally assume the role on 18 May.
Brittin steps into the position after a brief “gap year”, as he described it, returning to the spotlight with a job that, in his own words, was “probably not one either you or I were expecting”. The appointment signals a strategic tilt towards digital expertise at a time when traditional broadcasting continues to evolve at pace.
The new Director-General brings more than 18 years of experience from Google, where he held several senior roles, including President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During his tenure, he played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint across Europe and shaping its regional strategy.
More recently, Brittin served as Senior Independent Director at The Guardian, adding boardroom insight from one of Britain’s leading news organisations. His career also spans roles at McKinsey, Trinity Mirror and Sainsbury’s, giving him a broad perspective across media, retail and strategy.
The Director-General position carries dual responsibility as chief executive officer and editor-in-chief, overseeing the BBC’s creative, editorial and operational direction both in the UK and globally. It is a role that demands not just leadership, but a steady editorial compass in an increasingly complex media landscape.
“Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world,” Brittin said. He added that the broadcaster remains “an extraordinary, uniquely British asset” with a legacy of innovation in storytelling and technology.
His appointment comes at a moment when public service broadcasters are under pressure to balance tradition with transformation, navigating shifting audience habits, digital disruption and funding debates. Brittin’s blend of Silicon Valley scale and British media sensibility may prove timely.
With “big challenges and big opportunities” ahead, Brittin appears ready to get started. The real test begins in May, when he moves from anticipation to action at Broadcasting House.
