The official International Film Festival of India (IFFI) website’s schedule has sparked significant con cern after failing to list any Goan film in the World, Asia, or India premiere categories, or as a Special Showcase. Vishal Pai Cacode, former Governing Body Member of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), has raised critical questions regarding the selection meth odology, asking: “Has NFDC stopped cu ration and started manipulation?” The biggest concern is the double standards applied between the Fea ture and Non-Feature categories. The Goan feature film ‘Claudia’ was reject ed from the Indian Panorama selec tion, and ‘Ancessao’ was similarly re jected in the non-feature category. Yet, despite rejection, ‘Claudia’, a film not even released to date is suddenly in vited by NFDC for a “Special Presenta tion”, and now appears set for a World Premiere, indicating clear favouritism and backdoor influence, he stated. “On the other hand, ‘Ancessao’, a Konkani film that has already won two international awards and brought glob al acclaim to Goa finds no place whatso ever in the IFFI schedule. If internation al excellence is ignored while lobbying dictates selections, the very purpose of Indian Panorama and Gala Premieres is defeated,” he claimed. “No festival can thrive on selective favouritism and personal patronage. When rules change for a chosen few, it damages the integrity of the entire selection process,” Vishal said. “If such manipulation continues, it will raise even more serious concerns that IFFI is being influenced by indi viduals close to the government in power, putting the festival’s credibili ty and integrity under a deep shadow of doubt,” he said
IFFI Under Fire for Excluding Goan Films; Vishal Pai Cacode Slams ‘Manipulated’ Selection Process
