53 IFFI: Two films for specially-abled persons in Divyangjan Special section to be screened during the festival

The 53rd International Film festival of India, IFFI currently underway in Goa has made special arrangements for Divyangjans to enjoy the festival. Two films for specially-abled persons in Divyangjan Special section with embedded subtitles and audio descriptions will be screened during the festival. 

The films are Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning film Gandhi and The Storyteller, directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan. Audio descriptions are specially created audio tracks that narrate the visual information in a film. The audience can listen to the same, and the content of the film is conveyed to the audience which is otherwise not accessible. In this section, dedicated screenings for a specially-abled audience will be organized keeping in mind their accessibility needs in terms of formats of film screening and venue



infrastructure.

In addition to this, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is conducting two free courses for specially-abled persons, a basic course in smartphone filmmaking for people with Autism and a basic course in acting for people in wheelchairs. The move is aimed at making the festival more inclusive and accessible for Divyangjan film enthusiasts.

Accessibility is one of the prominent aspects of this year’s IFFI.  The infrastructure of the venue has been revamped for the special needs of Divyangjan. The festival venue and other places where the films are being screened have been made barrier-free. Provisions of ramps, handrails, Divyangjan-friendly tactile walkways, parking spaces, retrofitted toilets, and signboards in Braille have been made.