If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Finally, Amori,
will be the poster child of
Konkani cinema in this year’s IFFI. But the sheer effort to get at least one
Konkani cinema to be shown, during the 50th year of IFFI at the home of Konkani
cinema, makes one ask “What really is the worth of Konkani cinema on national
stage?’
Vice Chariman of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), Subhash
Phaldessai, recently held a review meeting with the Union Minister of
Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar. “We put up a request to the
central ministry with this being the 50th year of the International Film
Festival of India (IFFI) that a special opportunity should be given to a
meritorious Goan film to be included along with the Indian Panorama and we
brought it to the notice of the honourable minister and he said he is aware
about that fact and he had already issued directions to the concerned DFF
members to get the movie screened,” he stated. National Award-winning Konkani
film ‘Amori’ will be screened at the IFFI Panorama special section.
Schubert Cotta, the
producer of ‘Amori’, is delighted with the news. “We apply for a competition
and hope to win. But it was very disappointing to know that not only did we not
win here but no other Konkani film was selected. I have also sat on
international jury panels and I know that a decision can’t be reversed. We have
been working hard for Konkani cinema and we are happy to be supported by the
Goa Government. In Goa, every filmmaker is struggling and every filmmaker
should be commended. There was a lapse in the process and we are happy that it
was corrected and justice has been done,” says Schubert. The makers of ‘Amori’
had asked other filmmakers to join them to discuss the non inclusion of Konkani
films. ‘Amori’ has also been selected for the 17th Chennai Film Festival taking
place in December 2019.
The first Konkani
sports film made under the banner of Prasad Creations, ‘Glory’, was produced by
A Durga Prasad. The film was sent for the selection and A Durga Prasad is
content with the decision of the jury. “My view is that there is a jury and
their decisions have to be accepted. We can have expectations but we can’t
force anyone to take a decision in our favour. All are working hard to make
good Konkani cinema in Goa and getting recognition is also important,
especially at IFFI. A festival requires films that are different with an
out-of-the-box concept and good subjects. We can’t force them to select films
on the basis of language. In that case, films from every language will fight
for their language,” says A Durga Prasad.
Konkani film ‘Kaajro’
has been selected for the prestigious MAMI Film Festival, Mumbai
which is being held from October 17 to 24, 2019. Produced by de Goan Studio,
the single cut film showcases the morality of casteism and racism in today’s
society through the experiences of the protagonists in just two hours on
Dussehra festival. ‘Kaajro’ is based on story written by Dr Prakash Paryienkar,
HOD of the Konkani Department at Goa University; it has been directed by Nitin
Bhaskar. Rajesh Pednekar, the film’s producer, says, “I was surprised when the
list of the selected films was out. It was the decision of the jury and we
can’t barge into that decision. It is not one person or one panel that is
involved in the decision making but it is a three jury process. National award
winner ‘Amori’ has been selected as a special section at the IFFI Panorama section.
We will be applying for the National Award in December for ‘Kaajro’ but the
trailer will be out today,” says Rajesh.
Rajendra Talak has been a jury member for national and
international film festivals including the Oscar film selection from India. His
film, ‘Miranda House’, was one of the Konkani film entries that didn’t make the
cut for the Indian Panorama. However, he is taking the decision sportingly.
“You have to respect the jury. Some jury members like different genres of films
and they select what they like. They receive over 200 films from which 26 films
are selected, including the popular films. There is no criterion where you have
to win a National Award to get selected into the Indian Panorama. One has to
abide by the rules and accept their decision and work within the framework.
‘Miranda House’ was experimental cinema and I want to do good Konkani cinema,”
says Rajendra Talak, whose films, ‘Aleesha’, ‘Antarnad’ and ‘Saavariyaa. com’
premiered at IFFI.
Kishor Arjun, the script and dialogue writer of ‘Bade Abbu’, a
Konkani and Hindi film shot in Goa, is happy that their film is selected for
the National Film Festival, Jharkhand on October 16, 17 and 18, 2019 but
disappointed that the film was not selected for the Indian Panorama. “They didn’t
tell us the reason and it is not fair that not a single Konkani film was
selected for the second year running. If we don’t talk now, it will be a
hat-trick for Konkani cinema. ‘Juze’ was the last film. Konkani films have
calibre and we are not like Hollywood cinema but we are as good as films from
other Indian regional cinema. IFFI is the most prestigious festival of India
and it is a pain to know that we are not there,” says Kishor.
Most
of the directors are now waiting for the Goan film section to open to send in
their entries for this category and are being optimistic that their films will
at least get this deserved platform.
