The lamp is lit...

The sixth edition of the rechristened Osian's Cinefan 2004 got of a glittering start at Delhi's Siri Fort Auditorium on July 16.

The sixth edition of the rechristened Osian's Cinefan 2004 got of a glittering start with an array of international and national stars present on the occasion.

The festival was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, whose government has lent financial support to the festival in the past. She alluded the role of the festival in the cultural life of Delhi and, commenting of the departure of the International Film Festival of India to Goa, said Cinefan has become even more critical for Delhi's efforts to promote quality culture.

Neville Tuli, whose Osian has acquired Cinemaya and Cinefan, spoke beriefly on the need to merge three diverse strands of India - the religious/ spiritual, economic and cultural in an effort to make art self sustaining and true to itself.

Aruna Vasudev, Director of the festival welcomed the jury members, international delegates and guests to the 10-day festival, which is spread over four venues in the city and will showcase about 90 films in 10 sections.

Legendary critic and filmmaker Chidananda Das Gupta was honoured with the first Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on the occasion. Delivering his address, Das Gupta spoke of the need to have a 'second wave' of cinema criticism, which he said was on currently its last legs. Tracing a very brief background of hisassociation with cinema, Das Gupta said the need for critical evaluation was even more necessary in the face of a thousand fold rise in the visual assault on us.

Shabana Azmi will head the jury for this year's competition, which includes Iran's Mohsen Makmalbaf among other renowned filmmakers.

The inauguration was followed by the screening of the inaugural film, Gagan die Wand (Head on), which has already won the Best Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

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