PANJIM: The Ministry for Information and Broadcasting hoped that the FTII students will not hurt the country’s image by protesting at the 46th International Film Festival of India, which begins on Friday.
When reports of a likely protest by FTII students at the IFFI venue were pointed out, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Aurora on Friday said they were hopeful that the students would not do anything that will hurt the country’s image at a global platform.
“The students of FTII are as patriotic as you and me and would not spoil India’s reputation. This is an event of international scale,” Arora said addressing the media.
There are media reports that FTII students are planning a protest at the IFFI venue against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman.
Meanwhile, the State government has said they are not taking any chances and are on guard to tackle any situation at the event “We are fully geared up to deal with any eventuality. The Goa Police is competent to deal with any eventuality,” State Chief Secretary R K Srivastava.
Earlier, Arora said that Goa has been the perfect venue for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Arora, who is in Goa to oversee the preparations for the 46th IFFI, held meetings with Srivastava and Vice Chairman of Entertainment Society of Goa Damodar Naik.
Addressing media persons, Arora said, “We have personally inspected and reviewed the preparations at different venues which include arrangements for the opening and closing ceremonies, opening film, Indian Panorama section and arrangements for delegates and media in terms of hospitality and logistics.
Arora further said that for the last 11 years, Goa has been the perfect venue for the lively interplay between art, cinema and the audience. “The film festival is ready to welcome a large film audience in Goa with many new and exciting elements in its bouquet,” he added.
The I&B Secretary said Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor would be the Chief Guest for the opening ceremony while Oscar winning music director A R Rehman would be present for the closing ceremony.
In the World Cinema section, 187 films from 89 countries will be screened. Spain is the country in focus. The Indian Panorama section will bring a mélange of 47 spectacular films from India in the Feature and Non-Feature categories.
The opening film “The Man Who Knew Infinity” directed by Mathew Brown is the true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, Ramanujan a self-taught Indian mathematics genius travelled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, Professor GH Hardy who helped reveal his mathematic genius to the world.
Film Bazaar, in its 9th edition, will be focusing on more than 150 film projects at various stages under film labs, co-production market, viewing room and industry screening. Film Bazaar is aimed at facilitating collaboration in the realm of production and distribution. Delegates from 38 countries will be participating in the Bazaar from November 20-24.
Naik welcomed the Government of India’s decision to declare Goa as the permanent venue of IFFI and promised all cooperation in staging a spectacular International film festival.
Srivastava said the Government machinery is fully geared to organize a successful festival, which would be memorable experience for the nearly 7000 delegates who would be taking part in the festival.
