The curtains came down on yet another International Film Festival of India at an impressive closing ceremony at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Bambolim on Tuesday with legendary Hollywood actor-producer Michael Douglas being the star attraction as he was bestowed the prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award.
Interestingly, Douglas complimented the festival and said it is a reminder of the magic of movie-making and reiterated how cinema has the power to unite people across geography, race, language and even time. The 10-day festival showcased around 270 films at four different venues.
In addition to the annual glitz, this edition of IFFI saw the glamour quotient rise drastically with a galaxy of big names coming from Bollywood and Hollywood against the backdrop of some calling it an 'unnecessary' presence. Indeed, the festival is extensively focused on Bollywood, but that’s a grey area because films and Bollywood have become synonymous, at least in India, and one cannot comprehend the reel world without industry stars.
It may be true that an overdose of Bollywood stars is becoming a distraction, but on the flip side, there is also a fear that the festival may lose its charm without them. The organisers have to reconcile to that fact and do a calculative balancing so that the essence of the festival is not lost to the overpowering show of film stars.
Beyond the thrill of cinema, the oft-repeated question that comes to haunt us is whether Goa is gaining substantially out of this festival. If yes, how much? IFFI cannot be expected to get that kind of traction from the countryside of Goa because it alienates a vast section of people and caters to a specific segment. It’s all about cinema, not business. Hence, the festival getting a cold shoulder from many is a new argument that does not hold water.
Perhaps, the lens through which the success of the festival is seen needs to change. Instead of harping on the financials, there is a need to introspect on whether the festival has helped the State rebuild its dying film culture. One of the objectives of the film festival, when it first came to Goa in 2004 from Thiruvananthapuram, was to uplift the State’s sinking film industry fortunes.
The film industry of Goa was optimistic about getting a new foothold and many hoped that the vibe of Bollywood and Hollywood would rub on them, both in terms of learning and adding value. It works on the same principle as the national games and other franchise sports where sportspersons are imported in a bid to uplift local talent.
Now, that has not happened. The Goa film industry continues to remain a grim shadow of itself. Even after Goa hosted 20 editions of the festival, the Goan film industry is struggling to survive. Investing in film remains a very risky gamble because of its limited reach. Film producers in Goa, even if they rub shoulders with some of the top shots from India and around the world are unable to transverse that journey because of financial constraints. IFFI alone cannot help them to change their course.
After the initial hiccups, a few inconveniences and some fierce criticism, Goa got into its own and transitioned seamlessly showcasing an array of films and providing sheer entertainment and glamour. The State has stamped its authority as a permanent venue for IFFI, but while it has done so, it needs to look back and assess the impact on cinema, and whether the Goa film industry can ever see better days.
