Filmmaker returns awards in protest against ESG grading

Special Correspondent

Panaji

Goan filmmaker Miransha Naik, whose Konkani film ‘Juze’ won a record 14 awards at the recent Goa State Film Festival, organised by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), returned his awards on Thursday.

Naik said the decision came after the same Entertainment Society of Goacategorised his film in the lowest ‘C’ grade while evaluating it for the long-pending Film Finance Scheme.

“When I placed his awards in front of Mrinal Walke, the ESG General Manager, she offered to re-evaluate the decision of juries, and requested me to hold on till then,” Naik said.

Meanwhile, the result sheet of the Film Finance Scheme has been withdrawn from the ESG
website.

After being discontinued for almost six years, the ESG had invited applications under the Film Finance Scheme for films produced between January 2018 and December 2023.