'Violence' worry at children's film festival

Indian film Asoka, like many epics, depicts violence

The BBC's Omer Farooq reports from Hyderabad, India, on the 12th International Children's Film Festival.

There are 162 films from 40 countries at this week-long festival.

But it got under way with a concern that the present day films in India were creating confusion in the young minds and encouraging violent behaviour.

The Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Mr Chandra Babu Naidu, expressed his deep concern over the sort of films being produced in the country.

Inaugurating the festival, he cautioned that the confusion and violence encouraged by contemporary films among children would prove dangerous to society.

A subsidy will be available for a "good" children's film

And he announced a subsidy of two million rupees for the creation of any good and entertaining film for children.

Mr K Jayachandra Reddy, chairman of the press council of India stressed the need for going in to the question of why the children were getting attracted to violence.

He said that the good films can play a major role in encouraging creative activities among the children and putting them on a good path.

The director of the film festival, Mr K P Nair, added that the best films for the children were being made in Iran and Denmark - and he hoped that the films from these countries would be a big hit during the festival.

It has attracted features, shorts and animation, and the films are participating in three sections: International Competition, Asian Panorama and Children's World.

It is the fourth consecutive year that Hyderabad is hosting this film festival, which will now make the city its permanent home.