IFFI to get better with time: Parrikar

The International Film Festival of India being held for the first time in its permanenet venue Goa, would only get better with time.

The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) being held for the first time in its permanenet venue Goa, would only get better with time.

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Speaking to reporters on the eve of the mega event, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said his government had taken a festival that was struggling to maintain its place in the international market, and will turn it around.

Taking a dig at the earlier venue, New Delhi, Parrikar said it has nothing except "pollution".

He said a delegate who comes to attend the festival would like to stay at a nice place and only then will he be willing to do business.

Goa is a tourist place and people will enjoy coming here. After all, a film festival is nothing but a commercial venture of the film industry. So it does not make much of a difference if it's a tourist place or not, he said in reply to a question.

Claiming that central funds were inadequate for holding event of this magnitude, Parrikar said we are supplementing their budget and spending Rs 6-7 crore on the event.

The opening ceremony will be held at Kala Academy, the main venue of the film festival after Directorate of Film Festival officials turned down state officials request that the show be held outdoors to let more people witness it.