PANAJI
The Congress party has sought to know from the government whether the Goan section for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be a part of the festival’s official section.
Addressing a Press Conference in the party headquarters on Saturday, Congress Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar stated that while the government has announced seven films of Goan filmmakers selected for the Goan Section, they demand that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant clarify if it will be part of the Official Section of IFFI.
“I allege that this Goan Section is just an eye wash to fool Goan filmmakers… IFFI is converted into the International Fraud Festival of India by the BJP Government. Any film that is screened in any IFF is entitled to get financial benefit under Goa Film Finance Scheme. CM should make it clear if these Goan films will get the same benefits or not,” Panjikar said.
He further cited replies given to LAQ of Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, that the only film that was selected for the Official Screening of IFFI from 2019 to 2022 was Wagro in 2022. “The much-hyped IFFI could get only 269 international delegates in the last four editions of the festival despite the Goa Government spending almost 100 crores and the Central Government contributing a negligible Rs 11.8 crores from 2019 to 2022. This data is enough to prove that IFFI is reduced to a Domestic Film Festival,” he alleged while demanding a white paper on IFFI.
He went on to accuse the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) of becoming a Rehabilitation Centre for the BJP as most of the other members are from the BJP Cadre having no knowledge of films and entertainment.
