MORE than 150 films from all over the world were shown at this year's Fiji National University Fiji Film Festival.
The festival was officially closed by the creator of Bula Bollywood, Ajay Amrit at the FNU campus in Raiwai on Thursday.
Mr Amrit said cinema had great potential to influence people's minds by bringing visuals of the world to their very doorsteps.
"Cinema has played an important role in raising social awareness and aesthetic sensitivity," he said.
"When I look back today, I notice that this edition of the festival has grown many fold since its inception three years ago and has finally found its root."
Mr Amrit says Fiji is emerging as a film destination with hundred days of film shooting from Bollywood and foreign productions taking place in Fiji during the last year with the collaborative efforts of Fiji Films and FNU.
"It is satisfying to note that the local skills are also fast developing around the film shooting business.
"Fiji Film Festival has been a catalyst and instrumental in bringing about this development.
"The FNU stands committed with all its resources to support this event and ensure the growth of cinema in Fiji."
He said the festival had brought the best of the cinema to Fiji.
Awards were handed to those whose movies were shown at the festival, featuring international and local actors, actresses and directors.
Courts marketing director Anil Senewiratne and his team took out the award for the best advertisement of the year.
Mr Senewiratne said it took his team about a week to complete the advertisement.