The 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is currently underway across four venues and will continue until November 28 in Goa. This nine-day festival will showcase over 180 international titles from 81 countries, including 16 world premieres, three international premieres, 43 Asian premieres, and 109 Indian premieres.
Notably, the organisers have included a segment this year to celebrate Goan films, under which 14 films will be screened. It would have been ideal if a professional Goan filmmaker had produced a Konkani film on the life of St Francis Xavier and screened it at the opening ceremony of the 55th IFFI festival in the State, especially considering this year’s Exposition at Old Goa.
Unfortunately, nothing of the sort has happened, as not a single Goan filmmaker has taken the initiative to create such a meaningful film and screen it at this year’s IFFI in Goa. Isn’t that shameful on the part of our Goan filmmakers? By not producing a film on the life of our ‘Goencho Saib’ and not screening it at the opening ceremony of this year’s IFFI festival (despite knowing the significance of this year’s Exposition), Goan filmmakers have committed a major blunder and let all his devotees down in Goa. Shameful.
