COVID casts a shadow over IFFI

Panaji: Following the cancellation of the Cannes Film Festival 2020 and two-month postponement of the 93rd Academy Awards function due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, now all indications point out that this year, Goa may not host the International Film Festival of India, which it has organised  in collaboration with the central government in the last 16 years. 

Coming out with this information,  vice-chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa  Subhash Phaldesai stated that if the pandemic situation comes under control within next two-three months then IFFI 2020 could be postponed and held around January 2021.

“However, the process of booking hotels for international delegates, which usually begins every year in May, has not yet started,” he said, adding that neither has any exercise being undertaken as regards preparing the IFFI 2020-related timetable and sending messages to  global film industry players.

The ESG is a nodal agency of the state government to host the mega film festival.

Faldesai said that till now, the state government has not received any intimation from the directorate of film festivals under the Union ministry of information and broadcasting as regards IFFI 2020.

Faldesai stated that the coronavirus pandemic may not allow national and international celebrities from the film world to attend the IFFI 2020.

“Furthermore, it would be difficult to get films for screening at the IFFI 2020, as the pandemic has not allowed release of any film theatrically,” he noted.

The ESG vice-chairman also said the major film-making countries like the USA, the UK and Russia have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and hence it would be difficult to receive any response from them in connection with IFFI 2020.

Incidentally, the representatives of the ESG have also not held any meeting with the DFF after organisation of IFFI 2019, from November 20 to November 28, last year, to discuss preparations for IFFI 2020.

Faldesai also observed that the state government might not be able to fund IFFI 2020 in the event of its organisation due to COVID-19-related austerity measures.

The ESG vice-chairperson said that taking advantage of the lockdown, the ESG has taken up refurbishment of the city Inox multiplex.

“The Inox Multimedia Private Limited (IMPL) has been given contract for refurbishing the existing multiplex into a world-class four-screen theatre, on build-operate-transfer basis,” he added, pointing out that the IMPL will pay Rs 54 lakh per month to the ESG, with 5 per cent hike in this amount annually, for a period of next 15 years.