PANAJI: Eligibility criteria allowing up to 85% non-Goan representation among cast and crew in film entries for the Goa State Film Festival has triggered strong opposition from the Goan film fraternity.
A delegation met the Entertainment Society of Goa general manager Mrunal Walke today to demand urgent reforms to festival regulations, and address wider policy issues impacting local filmmakers.
The delegation submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting several outdated, contradictory, and prejudicial provisions in the current regulations. Chief among their concerns was the clause that permits only 15% Goan representation in film entries, a ratio they termed unjust. They demanded that the policy be reversed to require at least 85% Goan involvement to genuinely promote and protect local talent.
The fraternity also flagged contradictions between clauses 4 (a), (b), and (c), and clause 9.3 (iv) and (v), regarding film eligibility timelines. These inconsistencies, they said, lead to confusion for applicants and must be harmonised for clarity and fairness. Additionally, they noted that clause 9.3 (iii) still refers to dates from earlier editions (5th, 6th, and 7th) of the festival, which are irrelevant in the 2025 context and need immediate revision.
Another major concern was the omission of important award categories in the non-feature film section. The fraternity urged the inclusion of awards like Best Director to bring parity with the feature film segment. They also sought exemption from the requirement of a Censor Board certificate for non-feature films, citing the financial and logistical burden it places on independent Goan filmmakers.
Further, the group requested an extension of the deadline to submit domicile certificates, suggesting that it be pushed to coincide with the festival itself to avoid the unfair disqualification of eligible participants due to documentation delays.
The fraternity has also called for a joint meeting with relevant authorities to resolve these regulatory gaps and to review the broader Goa Scheme of Financial Assistance for Films, 2016.
