Panaji: The under-utilised Aguada helipad will be a major attraction for the ensuing 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024 slated from Nov 20 to 28.
The State government has finalised several venues including the helipad for the festival for movie screening.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, after a review meeting today, told reporters that all projects will be completed by November 15 and that he will personally conduct a ground review by November 18.
Other sites for land screenings include the Vagator Helipad, Ravindra Bhavan and Miramar Beach, all of which will be accessible to the public. The Central Board of Communication will host a special art exhibition along Yoga Setu, while the DB Football Ground will feature additional screenings.
Key activities, including movie screenings and jury evaluations, will be conducted at the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), with access restricted to the general public. Other venues, including INOX Panaji, Porvorim, Samrat, and Ashok theatres, will also have restricted access.
So far, over 3,659 registrations have been received for IFFI 2024, and delegates can still register online through the official IFFI website.
As part of this year’s festivities, a parade featuring six floats from the ESG will take place from the ESG to Kala Academy on November 22, showcasing the best of Carnival and Shigmotsav. "The participants have been invited, and the theme for the floats is based on films," said Sawant.
Sawant emphasized the collaboration of various departments, including the Line Department, PWD, Police, Electricity, CCP, and GSIDC, which have reviewed and accepted their responsibilities. “From the Goa government's side, most of the work is complete, and now it’s left to the central departments,” he added.
The govt. is spending nearly 26 crores to organise the festival. "The cost keeps increasing each year," said Sawant.
Sawant also announced that a special traffic plan has been prepared and will be implemented starting November 20.
