Details about National Film awards

1. National Film Awards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Film Awards
Award Information
Category Films
Instituted 1954
Last Awarded 2007
Awarded by Directorate of Film Festivals, India
Highest award for
Description
films in India
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India, and the
country's oldest alongside the Filmfare Awards.[1] Established in 1954, it is administrated by the
Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.[2][3]
Every year a national panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry, and the
award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India gives away the awards. This
is followed by the inauguration of the National Film Festival, where the award-winning films are
screened for the public. Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country, they
hold the distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema overall, as well as presenting
awards for the best films in each region and language of the country. Due to the national scale of
the National Film Awards, it is considered to be the equivalent of the American Academy
Awards.[4][5]
Contents
1 History
2 Juries and rules
3 Awards up to 2009
o 3.1 Golden Lotus Award
o 3.2 Silver Lotus Award
o 3.3 Nargis Dutt Award
o 3.4 Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film
o 3.5 Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award
o 3.6 Non-Feature Film Awards
o 3.7 Best Book on Cinema
o 3.8 Best Film Critic
4 See also
5 References
o 5.1 Notes
o 5.2 Further reading

2. 6 External links
History
The Awards were first presented in 1954. The Government of India conceived the ceremony to
honour films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the furthering of Indian art and
culture.
Juries and rules
The National Film Awards are presented in two main categories: Feature Films and Non-Feature
Films. The feature film jury for 2009 consists of 13 members, including Rahul Dholakiaand is
headed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta. The non feature film jury consists of five members and is
headed by Bikram Singh.[6] The juries are appointed by the Directorate of Film Festivals in India.
Neither the Government nor the Directorate have influence over which films are selected for
consideration and which films ultimately win awards. There are strict criteria as to whether a
film is eligible for consideration by the jury panels. Over 100 films made across the country are
entered in each category (Feature and Non-Feature) for the awards and deemed eligible each
year.
A list of rules is presented every year in a documment of regulations known as the National Film
Award Regulations. The criteria for eligibility contains many clauses. Among them, there is a
direct requirement for the makers of a film, and particularly the director, to be Indian nationals.[7]
Films entering the competition should be produced in India, and in case of co-production
involving a foreign entity, there are as many as six conditions which should be fulfilled in order
for the film to qualify.[7] According to the criteria, in order to be eligible for consideration of the
jury, a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and
December 31. Whether a film is considered a feature film or a non-feature film shall be decided
by the Feature Film jury. The eligibility list includes a section of rules determining which films
shall not by eligible for entry in the competition.[7]
Awards up to 2009
The Awards are presented to feature films produced in the previous year,[8] given in the
following categories:
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal
Best Film
Best Direction
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment

3. Best Children's Film
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Child Artist
Best Cinematography
Best Screenplay
Best Art Direction
Best Make-up Artist [9]
Best Costume Design
Best Music Direction
Best Lyrics
Best Male Playback Singer
Best Female Playback Singer
Best Choreography
Best Audiography
Best Editing
Best Special Effects
Second Best Feature Film
Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film)
Best Feature Film in each of the languages specified in schedule VIII of the constitution:
Best Feature Film in Assamese
Best Feature Film in Bengali
Best Feature Film in Hindi
Best Feature Film in Kannada
Best Feature Film in Konkani
Best Feature Film in Malayalam
Best Feature Film in Manipuri
Best Feature Film in Marathi
Best Feature Film in Oriya
Best Feature Film in Punjabi
Best Feature Film in Tamil
Best Feature Film in Telugu
Best Feature Film in each of the languages other than those specified in schedule VIII of the
constitution:
Best Feature Film in English

4. Best Feature Film in Bhojpuri
Best Feature Film in Monpa
Best Feature Film in Tulu
Other Feature Film Awards:
Best Film on Family Welfare
Best Film on Other Social Issues
Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation
Nargis Dutt Award
This award is given to the Best Feature film on National Integration
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film
This award is given to the film judged Best First Film of a Director at the National Film Awards
Indira Gandhi Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award
This award is for lifetime achievement and contribution to Indian Cinema. It is named after
Dadasaheb Phalke, one of India's pioneering film makers.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Non-Feature Film Awards
The Awards presented to Non-Feature Films are given in different categories including the
following:
Best Non-Feature Film
Best First Non-Feature Film
Best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film
Best Biographical Film
Best Arts/Cultural Film
Best Scientific Film
Best Promotional Film
Best Agriculture Film
Best Film on Social Issues
Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film
Best Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film
Best Exploration/Adventure Film

5. Best Investigative Film
Best Animated Film
Best Short Fiction Film
Best Non-Feature Film on Family Welfare
Best Non-Feature Film Direction
Best Non-Feature Film Cinematography
Best Non-Feature Film Audiography
Best Non-Feature Film Editing
Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction
Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Non-Feature Film)
Best Book on Cinema
This award is given to the Best Book on Cinema:
Best Book on Cinema
Best Film Critic
This award is given to the Best Film Critic on Cinema: Best Film Critic
References
Notes
1. ^ Both Filmfare Awards and National Film Awards were established in 1954. IMDb.
Retrieved on 2008-08-14.
2. ^ Official site Directorate of Film Festivals
3. ^ Film Festival
4. ^ "National Film Awards (India's Oscars)". Film Movement.
http://www.filmmovement.com/filmcatalog/festivals.asp?FestivalID=76. Retrieved 2009-
02-11.
5. ^ "We have lots to give the West: Rahman". The Hindu. February 20, 2009.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053311400.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-
28.
6. ^ "Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting-54th National
Film Awards". http://www.pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2008/jun/54th_nfa.pdf. Retrieved
2009-08-08.
7. ^ a b c 55th National Film Awards Regulations. Eligibility. Pages 2-3.
8. ^ National Film Awards
9. ^ 54th National Film Awards The Hindu, June 11, 2008. "Two new award categories —
best animation and best make-up artist — have been constituted this year. Telugu film
“Kittu” won the award in the best animation film category and Anil Moti Ram Palande
was awarded the best make-up artist for the film “Traffic Signal.”

6. External links
IMDB
Directorate of Film Festivals