Mike Pandey pledges support for SFC
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 26
After being snubbed by local filmmakers, Entertainment Society of Goa’s Short Film Centre (SFC), a part of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), has got support from internationally renowned filmmaker Mike Pandey, who has termed it as a unique platform.
“I would like to convey and lend my support to this unique platform. The short and documentary filmmakers had no platform no space anywhere in India,” Pandey, winner of green Oscars, has said in his letter to ESG.
SFC, a section curated during International Film Festival of India (IFFI), was vehemently criticized by local filmmakers, forcing the organisers to cut down the budget on it to almost half.
Pandey, however, has said that documentary and short filmmakers see hope in the form of such initiative. Short film centre is a buyer-seller initiative with more than 300 filmmakers participating in it with their product.
“At a time when your efforts in developing and promoting SFC are being talked about by several governments, it is pity that some misplaced views are being expressed in Goa,” said the filmmaker, who headed SFC’s environmental films jury for IFFI 2009.
Pandey said that documentary is a genre which can be a powerful instrument to change of communication and of information.
“There is a major revival across the world and short films and documentaries are being archived, treated as visual documentation part of nation’s history and national treasure,” he said adding that Entertainment Society of Goa’s vision and efforts have given the non-fiction and short films a foundation.
The filmmaker said that at a time when the country is looking up to Goa as a leader as an emerging film destination, Entertainment Society of Goa, would not disappoint these thousands of poor and young filmmakers who today adore and look forward to the SFC as their only support.
