Russia will be a partner in this edition and there are plans to rope in private theatres

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar chaired a steering committee meeting of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Panaji today.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also attended the meeting.

"This year the prestigious International Jury at IFFI will be headed by John Bailey, the President of Oscar Academy," Mr Javadekar told reporters after the meeting.

He informed that Russia will be a partner in this edition and that there are plans to rope in private theatres in order to reach out to the masses.

The other committee members - directors Madhur Bhandarkar, Shaji N. Karun, Rahul Rawail and Manju Borah, famous cinematographer Apurba Kishore Bir and Ravi Kottarakara, the owner of Kottarakara Films - were also present.

Started way back in 1952, the first-ever IFFI was organised by the Films Division, Government of India, with the patronage of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

IFFI aims at providing a common platform to the cinemas across the world to project the excellence of the art of film making. This is India''s most prestigious film extravaganza and is also the first international festival held in Asia.