Amitabh Bachchan inaugurates IIFA Voting Weekend by casting the first vote

Industry voting begins for the IDEA IIFA Awards nominations

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) raised the curtain on the IDEA IIFA Awards 2008 with Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan starting the voting process by casting the first vote. The Industry Voting for the IDEA IIFA Awards Nominations would be open from March 28th to 30th 2008. During the IIFA voting weekend, industry stalwarts, actors, directors, producers, technicians, composers and behind the scenes communities are expected to cast their votes, which would decide the nominations for the main awards. This year the star-studded glamorous IIFA weekend is being held from June 6th - 8th in Bangkok, the shopping paradise of Amazing Thailand.

Speaking on the occasion, IIFA Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan said, Casting my vote is important as it gives me a chance to participate in the decision making process with my peers in the Indian film industry. It is very heartening to see IIFA grow in scale and prominence over the years. IIFA entering its 9th year is a testament to its endurance and importance in the industry. The credible and distinct place that IIFA enjoys in the Indian film industry is due to the professional and confidential election process that ultimately decides the nominations and awards. IIFAs adherence to international guidelines is critical to the results, which are only revealed on the IDEA IIFA Awards night.

The IIFA Weekend and the IDEA IIFA Awards, spearheaded by Wizcraft International Entertainment is a movement dedicated to promoting Indian cinema and business across the world, providing a global pedestal to encourage international interaction and further business opportunities between India and the host countries.

The IIFA Voting process is a stringent and methodical procedure that is closely monitored by PriceWaterHouse Coopers, the official auditors for the event. To begin with, the Industry is invited to cast their votes and shortlist nominations in the category of the Popular Awards. The Technical Award winners and the Popular Award nominations are derived from this voting weekend. The popular category nominations are put up on iifabuzz.com for the global audience to participate in the voting process. The final winners of the IDEA IIFA Awards are revealed by PriceWaterHouse Coopers only on the night of the Awards ceremony when the envelope is opened on stage, in front of the live audience. The results are kept secret and the credibility of the voting process is one of the key parameters of this prestigious award.

Also present at the occasion were IIFA Weekend 2008 associates and supporters, CMO of IDEA Cellular Pradeep Shrivastava, Star TV CEO Uday Shankar, Head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in India Mr.Chattan Ayudhya, Gitanjali Group GM Commercial Anuj Rakyn, Wizcraft Directors, Andre Timmins, Sabbas Joseph and Viraf Sarkari amongst others.

Sharing his views on the long-standing association with IIFA, Managing Director of IDEA Cellular, Sanjeev Aga said, We are proud to be associated with the IIFA movement in recognising the worthy talent in the Indian film industry. We are keenly looking forward to the celebrations at the IDEA IIFA Awards in Bangkok this year. In this day and age of convergence, the IDEA IIFA Awards signal the coming together of two powerful mediums Television and Mobile. The day is not far when the power of television will be available on the IDEA mobile platform.

This year, the IIFA Weekend will be held from June 6-8, 2008 in the amazing city of Bangkok, Thailand which is South East Asia's premier location drawing over 12 million visitors a year. Thailand is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, ancient temples and hospitable people. Bangkok is a modern city that retains its historical traits. It is an economic and financial centre with a wealth of cultural sites, making it one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The people of Thailand believe in honesty, enterprise, delivering on promises, striving to achieve success and creating opportunities for all. The IIFA Weekend is the perfect platform for people and businesses to come together and collaborate to create economic opportunities for the region.

IIFA has travelled to six countries across the world and has left a mark in the minds and hearts of the people. The IIFA Weekend in Bangkok will install yet another milestone in our endeavors to continue to take Indian Cinema to the Global platform. With the IDEA IIFA Awards 2008, we will continue to provide the impetus for the crossover of Indian cinema to global audiences and delight the Indian diaspora with the grandest celebration of Indian cinema, said Wiz Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft International Ent. Pvt Ltd.

The IDEA IIFA Awards is broadcast on the Star Television network and the final presentation night with exciting star-studded performance will reach global viewers this June. Star TV is India's most-watched satellite channel. Along with terrestrial broadcasters from across more than 50 countries, IIFA programming reaches an audience of over 500 million people, making it one of the most-watched events in the world.

International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) is a movement pioneered by Wizcraft International and brings together the worlds of Indian and International Cinema and business on one common global platform. It strives to build bridges through cinema to create one people, one world.

India Infoline News Service