A veteran journalist, film-critic, writer and translator Rekha Deshpande has seven books on cinema and more than 40 translated books on various subjects to her credit. Her Marathi book Nayika – a social cultural, artistic analysis of women protagonists in the Indian cinema, received the Maharashtra State Award in 1997 and Marathi Chitrapatsrushticha Itihas (The History of Marathi Cinema) and Taramaticha Prawas: Bharateeya chitrapatatil stree chitranachi Shambhar Varshe (100 years of the portrayal of women in Indian Cinema) are her much acclaimed books as well. Her just released i.e. in December 2021 book is Dastan-E dilipkumar, an analytical biography and works of veteran film actor Dilipkumar, published by Rajhans Prakashan. Acclaimed film critic and a serious student of world cinema, she has served as a member of Fipresci jury as well as critics jury at several international film festivals including Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), Kerala, Bangaluru, Kolkata, Kolhapur, Third Eye Mumbai, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Aurangabad international film festivals as well as the Hyderabad Bengali Film Festival. She has written serials such as Sawlya, Anandi Gopal in the 1990s for Door Darshan and is also the co-script-dialogue writer of a Marathi feature film Katha Tichya Lagnachi written and directed by Ashok Rane in 2009.
Rekha Deshpande
Selection Committee Chairperson
Manouj Kadaamh
Manoj has experience of over 20 years in films. He is writer, director, producer and distributor. His areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, production, film marketing & distribution, screenplay development & technical consultation, international networking, negotiation, content & media planning, etc. He keeps himself updated of various technical developments through trainings, attending seminars and networking forums.
His debut feature film in Marathi ‘Kshitij – A Horizon’ won many awards in India and internationally including Best Film at Indian FF of Houston (‘17), Best New Director at the Cape Town IFF (‘17), International Council For Film & Television (ICFT) – UNESCO Gandhi Medal at Intl. FF of India (IFFI) Goa (‘17), Best Screenplay, Special Jury Mention Actress for Vaishnavi Tangde and Best Film at Aurangabad IFF (‘18), Best Director at 55th Maharashtra State Award (‘18), Special Jury Mention at SAARC FF in Sri Lank (‘18), and many more. Film had a special screening at UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Manoj has served as an international jury member at various film festivals and conducted master classes at various film institutions. He was international jury member for Cape Town IFF, Filmingo FF, Maharashtra State Awards, and IFFI Goa among others. Manoj is Executive Member at ICFT UNESCO, Paris. He is also Member of Maharashtra State Cultural Affairs.
As a distributor Manoj has distributed more than 125 regional & Bollywood films. He is producer, writer & director of his upcoming film ‘The Last Mile’.
Manoj has experience of over 20 years in films. He is writer, director, producer and distributor. His areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, production, film marketing & distribution, screenplay development & technical consultation, international networking, negotiation, content & media planning, etc. He keeps himself updated of various technical developments through trainings, attending seminars and networking forums.
His debut feature film in Marathi ‘Kshitij – A Horizon’ won many awards in India and internationally including Best Film at Indian FF of Houston (‘17), Best New Director at the Cape Town IFF (‘17), International Council For Film & Television (ICFT) – UNESCO Gandhi Medal at Intl. FF of India (IFFI) Goa (‘17), Best Screenplay, Special Jury Mention Actress for Vaishnavi Tangde and Best Film at Aurangabad IFF (‘18), Best Director at 55th Maharashtra State Award (‘18), Special Jury Mention at SAARC FF in Sri Lank (‘18), and many more. Film had a special screening at UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Manoj has served as an international jury member at various film festivals and conducted master classes at various film institutions. He was international jury member for Cape Town IFF, Filmingo FF, Maharashtra State Awards, and IFFI Goa among others. Manoj is Executive Member at ICFT UNESCO, Paris. He is also Member of Maharashtra State Cultural Affairs.
As a distributor Manoj has distributed more than 125 regional & Bollywood films. He is producer, writer & director of his upcoming film ‘The Last Mile’.
Prasad Khatu
Prasad Khatu is a graduate in Mass Media from Mumbai University. He started his career in 2007 as a Programme Coordinator for the Mumbai Film Festival and has been promoted to a Deputy Programmer in 2011. Assisted Festival Director and Programmers in Festival programming, films scheduling, print coordination. Over the period of time, he has developed strong contacts with the world sales agents, production and distribution companies, festival consultants and coordinators around the world.
He has been on the jury of Indian International Film Festival of South Africa. Widely travelled to the major film festivals like Cannes and Berlin.
He has been curator / consultant to the International Film Festival of Kerala, Bengaluru International Film Festival, International Film Festival of India (IFFI). He has also curated a Women film festival in Mumbai organised by FICCI Flo Mumbai wing.