Permanent venue concept irks K’taka filmmaker

PANAJI: Filmmaker B S Lingadevaru, who brought the only Kannadiga film, Nanu Avanalla…Avalu, to the 46th edition of the International Film Festival of India (Iffi), said he was disappointed with the lack of audiences.
“It’s like a love marriage. It was great during the first ten years, but once Goa became the permanent venue, organizers have begun to forget the most basic things, like hospitality,” he said.Besides the Film Federation of India and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce had boycotted this year’s edition of the festival due to a number of issues, he said.
Lingadevaru categorically stated that he didn’t appreciate Goa being selected as the permanent venue for Iffi, explaining that there was no permanent infrastructure put in place as is being promised each year.
“The festival is becoming more of a Goan festival with each passing year, than an Indian festival. Can’t we look beyond Goa? Earlier there wasn’t adequate infrastructure in other cities. Today all district headquarters have substantial infrastructure in the form of multiplexes. The festival shouldn’t represent Goa alone. As an international event, it should travel to a different city in India each year,” he told mediapersons on Saturday.