National Film Awards: Key Facts
- Established in: 1954
- Awarded for: Excellence in cinematic achievements for Indian cinema.
- Bodies involved:
- Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), a body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, administers the award.
- The selections of awards are made by an independent and impartial jury consisting of eminent filmmakers and film personalities, which is appointed by the DFF.
- Every year, the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India presents the awards.
- Criteria and Procedure:
- The makers of a film, and particularly the director, should be Indian nationals.
- Films entering the competition should be produced in India, and in case of co-production involving a foreign entity, they have to fulfil certain conditions to qualify.
- It is Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country i.e. a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) between 1 January and 31 December.
- Categories: The National Film Awards are presented in two main categories: Feature Films and Non-Feature Films.
- Dadasaheb Phalke award: A lifetime achievement award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, is awarded to a film personality for the outstanding contribution to the Indian Cinema.
- Cash prize: All the award winners are awarded with a Medallion, cash prize and a certificate of merit.
