CANACONA
Actors and film personalities at the Prashanti Film Fest in Loliem criticised the lack of government support for Konkani cinema despite its national and international recognition.
The issue was raised during a post-screening discussion of the acclaimed Konkani film ‘Juze’ at ManoShobha Kalaghar. Lead actor Sudesh Bhise called for a dedicated policy to promote Konkani cinema similar to Maharashtra’s support for Marathi films. He suggested tax-free screenings and wider access in cinema halls across Goa.
Editor of ‘Juze’, Sidhesh Naik, said commercial theatres follow a 70:30 revenue-sharing model, making screenings difficult for Konkani films in a small market like Goa. Actor Prashanti Talpankar criticised the state film finance scheme and raised concerns over the three-tier finance policy. ‘Juze’, which won 14 awards at the Goa State Film Festival, received Rs 10 lakh assistance under the C category. Participants said the promised re-evaluation by ESG after protests last year is yet to take place.
