Open Forum, a Federation of Film Societies initiative, was inaugurated today at IFFI, 2017. The 29th edition at the 48th International Film Festival of India opened the platform with a discussion on the New Challenges in Organising Film Festivals. The initiative has been at the forefront of hosting discussions, deliberating important film topics since the first in 1988 in Thiruvananthapuram
At the inaugural, Sunit Tandon, Festival Director IFFI, recalled fond memories of being part of the first Open Forum in 1988. He vividly remembered the poster designed by the renowned G Ravindran and also highlighted the history of the federation. He wished the Federation all the success and was certain the discussions will prove to be enlightening.
Kiran Shantaram, Filmmaker and President of the Federation of Film Societies of India said that the Open Forum is conducted to know ‘what to watch and how to watch’. In context of the topic of discussion, he noted that doing the festival individually was a difficult task. Inadequate infrastructure and lack of funds are major constraints for organising Films festivals. Film Festivals of International level could not be possible without the government’s proactive support, he added.
The details of the consorted work undertaken by the Academy with the State were briefed by S.V.Rajendra Singh Babu, Chairman, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, Bengaluru. He announced the upcoming 10th edition of the festival dates as 22 Feb to March 02 2018. Further, the festival will not be confined only to Bangalore alone, but Mysore too will be included in the festival ambit. The closing ceremony will be held in the spectacular environs of the Mysore Palace.
The next speaker New York based journalist Samantha Sartori who brings her extensive knowledge of covering film festivals was grateful to be present and was ‘really impressed with the festival’. Amit Agarwal, Head, International Alliances, Global Film Festivals, Noida, noted that while organising a festival is easy in the digital age, he questioned the presence of good infrastructure and planning. He pointed to Cannes as an example where the team commenced planning for the next one on the day after the festival ended.
After the panelists offered their important feedback on the various challenges, the forum was opened for audience interactions in which common raised the voice was that lack of funds & infrastructure from Government towards promoting & exhibiting of good films to the general public which hopefully in future needs to be addressed.
Also suggestions came that already Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy [ Govt of Karnataka ] is doing the same since year 2016 to promote good films by screening on week ends in Bengaluru to public freely for the films which gets difficult to get Theatrical releases same model can be adopted by other states.
Ajay.K.R
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