The Pune International Film Festival concluded recently. The week long festival featured 140 films from 42 countries. A special section for the screening of Marathi movies and a separate competition for Marathi movies was also organised.

The closing ceremony was held at Shri Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch on January 15. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was the chief guest for the event. Union minister for civil aviation Praful Patel, eminent producer-director Subhash Ghai and several dignitaries from the film world, politics and other spheres of society were also present.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan assured that from the next year, the festival will be held joint venture between the organizers and the state government.

The Prabhat Best International Film award went to Mexico's Lake Taheo. The Prabhat Best International Film Director went to Sergey Dvortsevoy for his movie 'Tulpan' from Kazakhstan. The Government of Maharashtra-Sant Tukaram Best International Marathi Film Award went to 'Gabhricha Paus' directed by Satish Manwar and produced by Prashant Pethe.

The other awards in the Marathi section were Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal Awards

- Best Director-- Paresh Mokashi ('Harishchandrachi Factory')
- Best Actor--Kishore Kadam ('Jogwa' and 'Dukhache Shwapad')
- Best Screenplay-- Sachin Kundalkar ('Gandha')