Situation in IFFI 2018 gets tensed as delegates turns displeased at organizers

Guwahati: The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2018 is underway amid heavy response from the filmmakers, jury, and audiences. However, in the mid of such positive vibes, negativity has also got to prevail in the film festival and create a ruckus as a group of delegates could be seen accusing the organizers of poor queue management at the screening venues. The delegates have also alleged that the organizers even insulted them by making ‘regionalist remarks’.

Although the protest initially started due to the delay in entry to the screening of a film, later it also included other issues. The delegates holding entry tickets got angry on not being able to enter into the halls which even led to sloganeering, demanding for apologies and accusations. Audiences on the waiting list were even turned away.

Later, the disappointed delegates were tried to be pacified by vice chairman of the State-owned Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), Mr. Rajendra Talak, as the ESG co-hosts the IFFI along with the Directorate of Film Festival (DFF).

One of the delegates present in the IFFI, who have come from Kerala, complained, “We had reached the venue well in advance but couldn’t get in because they started allowing people with tickets to enter only 20 minutes prior to the screening. We were waiting in the queue but couldn’t enter as security personnel started allowing those without tickets to enter 10 minutes before the film started. This was mismanagement on part of those who were handling the queue hence we demanded the organizers apologize and a second screening of the film be organized. It was at this stage that he told me, ‘I know you are from Kerala. You should go back home’. What he said is unconstitutional and he should apologize.”

The Kerala delegate, identified as Mr Kamal even alleged that the Vice-Chairman Mr. Talak even mistreated the Kerala delegate as “go back to your home”.

On the other hand, Mr Talak says that he did not ask any delegate from Kerala to go back. He rather said that he rushed to the venue sorting out the problem and even agreed for a repeat show on the demand of the delegates. Despite that, some of the delegates were demanding an apology.

He added, “I tried to explain to them but a few of them looked like interested in creating a scene and were stretching the issue too much making demands that I resign. At that point, I asked them what right they had to demand my resignation. I told a person shouting that if he was not happy with the arrangement, he was free to go back.”

Also read: National News