Goa issues notice to organisers of alternative film fest

The North Goa district administration on Monday issued notice to FTII alumni and a Catholic Church-run institute, both co-hosts of an alternative film festival, seeking clarifications about the two-day event which starts on Tuesday.

The notice asked the organisers whether they have permission for the film festival under Section 5A of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, certification from the Censor Board, sale of entry tickets, details of screening etc and whether the Church-run institute had organised such events in the past.

While North Goa District Magistrate Nila Mohanan has sought a response from the organisers of the event by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Neel Manikanth, a spokesperson for the FTII alumni, said the event would go on as planned.

"The event will happen. The films which are being screened have the required certification and there is no ticketing involved," Mohanan said.

The two-day festival 'Retracing Freedom' was organised by the Film Television Institute of India alumni and sympathisers in association with the Nossa Senhora de Piedade Institute operated by the influential Roman Catholic Church in Goa and located in the state capital, as part of their ongoing protest against the actions of the union ministry for information and broadcasting.

The festival features films by R.V. Ramani, Satinder Bedi, Aadesh Keluskar along with other films by FTII students, including those featuring their protests.

Manikanth also said another reason for hosting the alternative film festival was the fact that the IFFI organisers this year had done away with the student film section, which was a regular feature of the annual event.

FTII students had staged a 139-day strike from June 12 this year, in protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the institute's chairman, claiming the artiste was unfit for the position.