New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) Osian's-Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema promises to celebrate its 10th Anniversary in July with panache, marking a quantum increase in the prize money. The organisers Wednesday announced prize money over Rs.10 million that will cover the entire award section.

'The increase in the prize money is a small step towards appreciation and recognition of creativity in cinema,' said Latika Padgaonkar, joint-director of the festival.

The prize money has increased ten-fold now.

'It's in the Indian context where a deep tradition for loving cinema is not guaranteed with the building of a great cinematic culture. The pioneering role of individuals and institutions is immense in such a scenario, hence Osian's involvement in cinema,' Neville Tuli, founder-chairman of Osian's, told IANS.

The 'Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on Cinema' was introduced in the sixth Osian's-Cinefan in 2004, and the 'Lifetime Achievement Award For Contribution to Cinema' will be introduced this year, and Rs.600,000 will be presented in each category.

The Best Films in the Asian-Arab and Indian competitive sections will be awarded Rs.2 million each and the best director in each section will win Rs.800,000. The Special Jury Award and the Best Actor and Actress Awards each will carry Rs.200,000.

The Best Feature Film will receive Rs.200,000 in addition to a guaranteed support of Rs.800,000 from FOOD. FOOD is the Film Fund - Osian's Originating Development, created by Osian's for the next feature film.

A new competitive section that deals with themes of 'In-Tolerance' has been created this year. It will include feature and documentary films that respond to or deal with the intolerance of our times.

The best film in this category will take home Rs.800,000. An audience award of Rs 200,000 has also been set up for a film in the section. In addition to these awards by Osian's, the International Film Critics Federation (FIPRESCI) & the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC), will also give their own awards.

Osian's-Cinefan is one of the world's largest festivals of Contemporary Asian and Arab Cinema, organised by Osian's Connoisseurs of Art, in association with the Government of the NCT of Delhi.

This year, the festival will be held in New Delhi from July 10-20, with its Mumbai preview in June 2008.

The 10th Osian's-Cinefan has announced its call for entry together with rules and regulations for the submission of films for the festival.