CM: 25% rise in delegates as close to 9,000 register for Iffi

Panaji: Close to 9,000 delegates have registered for the 55th International Film Festival of India (Iffi), which has seen a 25% increase in numbers over the previous year, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday.

“Of the delegates registered, 6,507 are regular delegates, 1,288 are students, and 1,196 are film professionals,” he said.

Six screens have been added this year, including at venues in Ponda and Margao, so Iffi can reach audiences across Goa, Sawant said, and added that there will also be open-air screenings at Miramar, Vagator and Ravindra Bhavan in Margao.

ESG vice-chairperson, Delilah Lobo, said that 99% installations at all Iffi venues this year are made of eco-friendly material. Of the 25 entries by Goan filmmakers, 14 will be screened under a special Goan section at Iffi, she said.

MD of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Prithul Kumar, said six films will be screened with audio descriptions under the accessible films section. Besides these, 11 films screened at the festival will be available with audio descriptions for the visually challenged through an app. There will be live sign language interpreters at the masterclasses as well, he said.

Kumar said ‘Moana 2’ and ‘The Piano Lesson’ are the two big international premieres scheduled at Iffi this year.

“The oldest restored film in the world, ‘Kalia Mardhan’, made in 1919, will be screened with an orchestra at this Iffi. The festival is dedicated to young filmmakers this year. There will also be a rising stars section of debut filmmakers, or those who have made their second film,” said Kumar.

Sawant said an Iffi parade from ESG to Kala Academy will be held from 3pm to 5pm on Nov 22 to celebrate the festival. Sky lamps (akash kandils) submitted by 50 participants per taluka in Goa will adorn either side of the streets. Those submitting their kandils will be paid Rs 500 each and winners will be given prizes, he added.