Thursday, September 23, 2010

Bhutanese filmmaker rues poor response to SAFF

Source: DNA India

Bhutanese filmmaker Gyaltsen, who is currently in Goa for the ongoing South Asian Film Festival, rued the poor response to SAFF, a claim refuted by the organisers.

"I am little unhappy with the response the festival is getting from the audience. Although films are screened free of cost, they are not attracting much audience," said Gyaltsen, a filmmaker, who is part of Bhutan's delegation to SAFF.

The organisers should publicise the festival more, he said addressing delegates during the seminar on 'Our Films Global Films' held at Panaji this evening.

SAFF was shifted to Goa three years back and has been witnessing a low key response since then. Even the inaugural ceremony at Kala Academy witnessed a poor turnout.

Goa chief minister Digamber Kamat looking at the scarcely filled auditorium hoped in the future the festival will attract more crowd.

However, South Asia Foundation's secretary general Rahul Barua ruled out that the festival was not getting good response.

"For the first time, Pakistani and Bhutanese delegation has visited India for any festival. We are trying to break the boundaries," he said.

Barua said while Indian cinema is watched in all the South Asian countries, India does not show Pakistani, Bhutanese and Nepalese cinema.

"The festival aims to create audience for this cinema," he added.