Goa to hold smaller film festivals throughout the year

The government of Goa, venue of this year's International Film Festival of India, has decided to organise smaller film festivals on different subjects throughout the year.

"We will be holding smaller festivals on topics like wildlife, environment, children, art and others," state Information Secretary Debashree Mukharjee said.

For this, the Entertainment Society of Goa, host for IFFI, will chalk out a state calendar of film festivals, she added. "A lot of film infrastructure has been built for the IFFI and it cannot be kept idle throughout the year. The infrastructure can be used for smaller festivals," said an ESG official. ESG, along with Kala Academy, a cultural body semi-owned by the state government, have been roped in for the festivals.

To start with, the Children's Film Society of India has planned a four-day event in January. "The festival will be held between January 10 and January 14 when children's films will be screened all over the state,'' stated Ather Shaiah, CFSI's marketing manager. 

Films like Kabhi Paas Kabhi Fail by Virendra Saini, Chhakkad bakkad bambe boo by Shridhar Rangayan, Heda Hoda by Vinod Gaatra will be screened for children, he added. The festival will be inaugurated at Kala Academy, Panaji, with Chhota Sipahi, a film which has Goa's liberation movement as the backdrop. Kala Academy member-secretary Pandurang Faldesai said the Academy plans to start a film club soon.