TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Expressing surprise over the organisation of the fifth, sixth and seventh edition of the State Film Festival on April 5, 6 and 7 respectively, two members of Film Makers Association of Goa have denounced the move as a fiasco and mockery of film culture in Goa.
“The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) has failed to conduct the State film festivals during the last eight years and now it is suddenly organising three film festivals in three days,” said filmmaker and producer Milind Madgut. “This is a fiasco, mess and mockery of the film culture in Goa. Having three film festivals in three days could well be a national record set by the ESG,” he added.
Madgut alleged that the bills of Goan artistes who performed in 2013 and 2014, which amounted to Rs 90 lakh have still not been paid by ESG. “This only amounts to harassment to these artistes,” said Madgut.
Claiming that former MLA Damu Naik was not the right person to have headed the ESG, Madgut insisted that St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh should have been the ESG chairman, given his vast experience in drama amd literature.
and art. Film Producer Mahadev Khanolkar said that politics should not be brought into film festivals, while there should be no favouritism from political persons in judging the performance of artistes.
