The decision by the government to postpone IFFI to January next year due to the virus has evoked mixed response from the people of Goa. The festival which was scheduled to be held from November 20-28 in a hybrid format of virtual and physical will now follow the same template from January 18-24. The festival has been a showcase for Goan, Indian and international films. Cineastes from within the state and the rest of the world would congregate in the state to celebrate the magic of the moving image.
Suchita Narvekar an actor felt if the festival could be conducted online there would not be any problem because several other film festivals in the country had migrated to the digital world due to the virus. She said “If they are keen on having shows in the physical world, then yes there will be a problem. If they have the wherewithal to have it online then it should be held in November because then people can watch the movies from the safety of their homes. There will be no need for people to fly in from abroad and then go through the protocol of isolation. Technology that is available should be used for everyone’s benefit. Shifting it to January will not change anything on the ground because the virus will be present”.
Siddharth Yaji another actor echoed similar sentiments. He said “COVID will be there even in January, so the situation will be the same. I strongly believe we should migrate to the digital world and have the festival. Making people travel long distances to watch 20-30 films in a theatre does not make any sense. They will have to undergo quarantine. I think they should conduct it in November and have it online and the people who are interested will certainly watch it online. ”
Goan film producer Nilesh Nevalkar felt it would make no difference if the festival was held in November or in January because according to him the virus would be still around. He felt it would make a lot of sense to conduct the entire festival online.
The virus meant interacting with other lovers of cinema would be drastically reduced. Film workshops which were an important part of film festivals may not be conducted. Samiksha Dessai who made her name in Home Sweet Home said the joy of being part of a festival was the opportunity to watch the latest movies and interact with people which would not be possible now. It would make a lot of sense to conduct the event online in November because it was part of the schedule and people were certainly looking forward to it.
Sonam Morajkar however felt it was important to focus on ensuring everyone stayed healthy. She said “People have postponed marriages and have had to reorganize their private lives and I think not having the film festival this year is ok. However, if It can be held online completely then I think they should go ahead with it. Goa used to be a safe state and then the borders were opened and now the cases are galloping. Don’t think of IIFI now, health and security is important.”
While the film community may exhibit enthusiasm for the film festival, the ordinary Goan on the street had opinions that were more nuanced. Riya Narvekar who has attended five film festivals says she loves it and looks forward to it every year but it would be safe to not have it this year. She said “They want to have it online but I have stood in line at Inox, attended workshops and other events and the vibe is so different when you are present physically. Conducting it online will be so different and it lacks the buzz. Focus on the virus and sort it out and perhaps next year it can be conducted with the fervor it requires”.
Vaisa Dias who works with an airline said it was a blunder to open the border resulting in a surge in the number of cases and deaths. She said “This is not the time for film festivals, just remember when the virus was fertilizing we were all locked up and now when it is surging, we are working in the offices. It makes no sense. Perhaps if they still want to conduct the festival then please have it only online. This will prevent people from congregating and transmitting the virus. We have to take all precautions”.
Akshita Dias a student felt the safety of the people came first. It would be better to postpone it and have it next year when the situation would be better. Anita Nair a resident of Vasco said she had attended three earlier editions of the festival and had watched a Malayalam film Jallikattu and enjoyed it with her husband. This year, however, she would stay away for safety reasons and said given the state of internet connectivity of Goa watching films online can be a frustrating experience. She said, “Let us focus on beating this virus and save people’s lives that should be the prime focus”.
Sharada Kerkar a young artist felt that given the situation in the state and the pressure on officials who were working on other COVID relief programs it made sense to postpone it. She said events like film festivals involved a great deal of planning and all factors had to be considered. An entirely online festival could be considered but she said it would take a great deal of time in planning.
The celebration of the moving image will be held sometime in January and one can only hope it will be a joyous experience for all concerned.
