What’s ‘iffy’? How IFFI’s 50th year could have been more golden

Messages like ‘Too
many server problems”, ‘Ask delegates to come after 30 mins’, or ‘There’s a
hack attempt at our server”, show up on the chat shared with Cafe on the
condition of anonymity . (See pix)

This is just one of
the many iffy happening in IFFI, which despite its best intentions, really
needs to iron these out for an out of the world experience. We list a few
glitches which can be used as an urgent course correction list this year or as
a to do list for next year

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Online connectivity

The IFFI organisers
are still dealing with goof ups on their website of IFFI 2019. The photo of
Satyajit Ray was missing from the credits of his Bengali film ‘Ganashatru’ and
instead noted lyricist Gulzar’s photo was placed.

The festival is also
not available on an app or even international third party apps meant for
promoting world festivals like Whova, where one can enhance their networking
experience and promote their films in the right direction.

Woes of parking spaces

Recently when Alyson
Richards, a Canadian film director mentioned that this is the worst film
festival she has attended in her 30 years in the profession, to a national
media, her criticism was ridiculed on social media. However, her problems were
genuine and an inner perspective is required rather than blaming it on a first
world problem. Canada was also the Country of Focus at IFFI Goa 2017 which
invited Canadian filmmakers to make films.

Alyson who has been
attending festivals for 25 years have an experience of how festivals are
delegate friendly and encompassing every aspect of the smooth functioning of
every department involved in the festival. Her problem with IFFI was the
parking space for her cycle. While she was being environment friendly, the
Smart City was not up to the task. One of the features of the project was
making the city more pedestrians and cyclists friendly.

IFFI Delegate maps and list of things to do when in Panjim

Based on the River
Mandovi, Panjim is a glamorous capital. However, showcasing this to the world
requires the right resources. You cannot expect people to land on your door and
not know what to do while they are here. The lack of basic information about
the city and state was one of the first things noticed in the delegate kit.
This being the 50th year, instead of going all out and promoting Goa, the
delegates were given a simple map of the venues. For the previous editions, the
organising committee has compiled beautiful handbooks with photographs of the
vibrant city along with its history and culture on display. This year IFFI has
failed to seize this important opportunity.

Eco friendly glass bottles can’t be carried in

The venues have
drinking water available with the purchase of a glass bottle for Rs 30 and free
refill. Cafe had praised this initiative. On the downside, the glass bottles
are not allowed inside the film theatres and have to kept out at the security
check.

Mobility between venues

For delegates to
commute between Inox and Kala Academy, Panjim there are autorickshaw services
available through the day. This service has to be commended as many delegates
are taking advantage of it. But Porvorim also as a venue for film screening,
with three screens being used for the festival, there is no transportation for
delegates from Panjim to Porvorim. The same rickshaws could be available on an
app which could be accessed to book a rickshaw to ply between the two venues
and to Porvorim and other parts of Panjim

Art only for the night

This year, the
festival invited the students of the Goa College of Art to curate art
installations along the Mandovi River promenade in Panjim that is called the
‘IFFI Mile’. The promenade is filled with creativity and colour and lights up
grandly in the evenings. Many schools are bringing their students for a visit
at these stalls. Unfortunately, these stalls are closed throughout the day and
only open post 7pm. The students can see the artwork on display but there is no
one to explain and guide them to explore their artistic side except a ‘closed’
sign to greet them at the door.

Some care for the media please?

It is the media that
gets the festival to places, yet there is no place for media at the 50th IFFI.
There is no designated area for photojournalists and reporters covering the
master classes or in-conversation sessions. With no proper space to set up
their cameras, video journalists can be seen sitting in the middle of the rows
with their cameras blocking the view of other delegates. It is also a hassle to
enter for various sessions as media as everyone has to get a ticket for the
talks. With packed schedules throughout the day, the tickets are considered
invalid if one doesn’t turn up on time for the event yet it is difficult to get
past the IFFI executives to catch the action indoors.

All
these are easily fixable bugs and once done will go a long way towards making
the golden jubilee of IFFI even more golden.