PANAJI: Goa is well on its way to building a film city and will be adding at least two multiplexes and a convention centre over the next two years in Panaji which plays host to the International Film Festival of India.
This was announced by Vishnu Surya Wagh, Chairman of the Kala Academy and Vice Chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa, at the inauguration of the Open Forum at the Festival venue. The Open Forum has been organised by the Federation of Film Societies of India with the Indian Documentaries Producers Association with the cooperation of the IFFI Secretariat and the ESG.
Referring to local criticism about hosting a Festival at a time when the state was facing an economy crunch, he said there was need to develop cinema as an alternate business which could bring in as much revenue as other businesses did.
Wagh, who is an MLA, said the state government was in the process of consulting film personalities to shortlist a suitable place for a film city. He said it was unfortunate that filmmakers who came to Goa to shoot often had to bring their own equipment as there was no infrastructure.
However, he said Goa recently won the Cinemascapes award for the Best Film Destination in India.
Referring to ESG, he said the Society had been set up to facilitate IFFI to hold the Festival here after the decision to make this the permanent venue.
IFFI Director Shankar Mohan said the entire world was moving towards digital technology and therefore some films had been screened only at Kala Academy and it was not possible to re-screen them elsewhere. This had been done to prevent theft of copyright and prevent video piracy. He said 60 per cent of the films here were in DCP, which meant that reels were not available and passwords were needed to screen these films.
He said the Festival this year had seen tremendous vibrancy and a steep jump in the number of delegates. The Open Forum had now moved to a greater purpose and focus. Each section had its own genre, he added.
IDPA President Mike Pandey welcomed the idea of a film city in Goa and said this would help the growth of better cinema.
FFSI President Kiran Shantaram and Sudhir Nandgaonkar also spoke at the forum which will be held daily till 29 November at 1.30 pm in the area outside Inox.
