Goa: At the star-studded inaugural of the 52nd International Film Festival in Goa, Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said India should become the preferred destination for world cinema and a global hub for content and post-production of films.

“India can captivate the world by narrating its story. The story of a rising, powerful, vibrant billion ready to lead the world the Indian way. Further, the film and entertainment industry has huge employment opportunities as we leapfrog into the digital era of content filmmaking and not forget about film archiving for the future generations,” he said.

The IFFI also conferred the first ‘Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement’ award on filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Istvan Szabo, and the ‘Film Personality of the Year’ award on actor and Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini.

In a video message, Scorsese said, “He is one of the filmmakers whose work I’ve returned to over and over again over the years throughout my life. Every time I see his films again, like ‘Apu Trilogy’ or ‘Charulata’, it is a whole new experience for me. They are the same films but somehow they deepen, become enriched within the feelings over the years.”