The state govt must use the film festival to create a film culture in Goa
It has now almost become an ‘urban legend’ how the then chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, at the beginning of this century requested the then Union minister for information and broadcasting, Sushma Swaraj to hold the International Film Festival of India in Goa, and how she agreed with a pre-condition that he should raise the required infrastructure in a record time. Of course, the way Parrikar achieved this seemingly impossible task and organised the opening edition of the mega film festival in Goa, in the presence of Dilip Kumar and Aamir Khan is something that is discussed even today.
In order to impart an unmatched scale to the inaugural IFFI in Goa, Parrikar made it more of a carnival and less of film event. The focus completely shifted to street parades, beach screenings, plays performed at Kala Academy, exhibitions along the promenade, children’s events at the Bhagwan Mahavir Garden, and so on. Today, when Goa is about to hold this festival for the 22nd time nothing much seems to have changed. IFFI is still the same extravaganza with huge amount of money being spent on the non-film related activities.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan has recently informed that 7,500 delegates have registered for IFFI 2025. However, one needs to take home this information with a pinch of salt, as the number of people actually arriving for the 9-day event, are far less. And furthermore the visiting international delegates are negligible. This is definitely a comedown from the days when the film festivals held at Delhi or other metros not only attracted foreign delegates but also the eminent film personalities from around the globe. The previous film festivals held in Goa did have the presence of international luminaries like Sir Ben Kingsley, Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandone, Majid Majidi, John Landis and Bertrand Tavernier. However post-Covid, the annual event showed a drought of such personalities. Two years ago, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones did make appearance at this film festival. For a change, a grand float parade will mark the ceremonial opening of IFFI this year.
This year, over 270 films from 84 countries will be screened, including 26 world premieres, 48 Asia premieres and 99 premieres from India. However, the quality of most of these films definitely leaves much desired. The IFFI 2025 has omitted meritorious films like ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’, ‘Homebound’ and ‘Sabar Bonda’ by India filmmakers. Fortunately, it will screen ‘It Was Just an Accident’ by Jafar Panahi, ‘Sentimental Value’ by Joachim Trier and ‘Sirat’ by Óliver Laxe. Still the selection could have been better!
One should also not forget that the state government was supposed to use the film festival to create a film culture in Goa, and in turn, support new filmmakers at the local level. However, the absence of any Goan film in the ‘official’ Indian Panorama section, this year raises doubts about the attention given by the government towards this aspect. The up-gradation of the infrastructure for the film festival as assured by the government, including the Convention Centre at Dona Paula is also delayed inordinately.
Besides Panaji and Porvorim, IFFI 2025 will have screenings of the films at Ponda, Margao, Miramar Beach and Vagator Beach, which will fortunately allow more people across the state to watch some of the festival movies. All said and done, it is important that the festival focuses on films instead of other ancillary activities. Films form the core of IFFI and should always remain so!
