TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Claiming that the International Film Festival of India will be mainly a Goa “product,” the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar Wednesday said that this year’s fest will also have three new sections, including a ‘Konkani-Marathi section.
“There will a new section for Konkani-Marathi and a separate section for North-East films,” he said at a press conference to announce the permanent status of Goa as the venue for the Film Festival.
He said that new infrastructure would be built and the central secretariat would be shifted to Goa.
“Goa will get its say in not only the organization but also in content (selection),” he said. “It is your baby. It is a Goa product.” “We are thinking of many new concepts, right from designing to taking on media partners,” the union minister said, while addressing media with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Power Minister Milind Naik, Entertainment Society of Goa Vice Chairman Damodar Naik, officials from the Union Ministry and personalities from the film industry.
The minister said that co-production treaties had been already signed with 9 countries and a tenth – with China – would be signed Thursday.
“We will be inviting all the 10 counties for the festival. It will be a good opportunity,” he said, adding that the chief guest and the content of the opening and the closing ceremonies would be finalized in due course of time.
“The opening and closing ceremonies would be held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium while the opening film will be screened at the Kala Academy,” he said. “63 days left. The countdown has started.”
On the infrastructure front, Javadekar assured all financial help to host the festival saying that the State government will be proposing plans to the Centre. “Whatever Goa government wants from the Centre, they will come to us with their plans and we will discuss with Finance (Union finance ministry) also and we will definitely give a helping hand,” he said
The MoU was signed and exchanged by Bimal Jutka, Secretary (I&B), New Delhi and B Vijayan, Chief Secretary, Goa in the presence of Javadekar, Parrikar, Power minister Milind Naik and Damu Naik.
