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International festival celebrating sport in TV, film comes to India next year
MUMBAI: This is an opportunity for content creators of sport on television and in film to take centrestage. Sport Movies & TV, the international festival dedicated to television and films that showcase sports, is coming to India.
The flagship event is held in Milan every year and seven countries including China and Uzbekistan have their own versions. India is the latest country to join them and entertainment firm Ten Films has tied up with the Federation internationale du Cinema Et De la television Spotrifs (Ficts) to bring the event to India. Sport Movies & TV is held under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The flagship event has a list of 90 member countries that send in entries.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch of the India chapter, Ten Films director Ritesh Sinha said, “The Indian chapter of the event will be held in Mumbai from 2-5 March 2006. It will be an annual event. At the event, besides local talent, there will also be talent from abroad on display. There will be a conference, an exhibition and an awards ceremony. This will have six categories including TV shows, feature films, documentaries and ad films.
“I think that the quality of work that I am seeing on sports channels has gone up considerably in the past five years. To give an example I was impressed by the work done around the recently held Confederations Cup as far as the promos were concerned as well as the wrap around stuff. Our aim is to help the culture of sport grow in India,” Sinha said.
“While we have entered this market late I would say that this is the right time. Interest is now growing in sports other than cricket like F1 and tennis. While there are only a few Bollywood films that showcase sport, our hope is that when Indian filmmakers see the work from abroad they will aspire to new heights.”
Sinha says that the next few months will be spent contacting Indian production houses that make specials around sports as well as sports channels. More details about the event will be made available as time goes on. In fact at the flagship event in Milan, which takes place later this year from 27 October to 1 November 2005, the subject of India being included will be brought up at the opening day’s conference.
Ficts president Professor Franco Bruno Ascani said, “Ficts through Sport Movies & TV aims to spread the knowledge and diffusion of sport movies and videos that, in different languages and different production forms, contribute to the development of the artistic and cultural tendencies in the TV world and movies. The aims of this event are to promote the quality of sports on cinema and on TV. We also aim to underline the spirit of Olympism. Therefore one category at the Indian version will be dedicated to the Olympic spirit.
“This will reward a product that chronicles or surveys the Olympic Games, the disciplines, the champions, the participants. The product should also bring out the cultural, historical and ethic values of the event. We also seek to bring together those who work creatively in sports broadcasting in order to stimulate and spread knowledge of creative and cultural issues related to sport in the media.”
At last years flagship event in Milan:
197 Medals, made by producer Jan Celner of the Czech Republic received an honorary mention in the Olympic Spirit category. Another special that was cited was Five Elements of Rhythmic Gymnastics by Russia’s Sport Agency Arena.
In the documentary section Alexander Popov. Destiny by Russia’s Vib Film was cited. There is also a section called Sport and Society. This category rewards a product that has an educational value. Iran’s Football Bartar was one of the specials that received a special honourary award.
The Olympic Museum Award went to Europsort’s Mission To Athens.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
