The 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), scheduled to be held in Goa from November 20 to 28, has been postponed to January 16 to 24, 2021.
This decision comes less than a month after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s assertion that the film festival would go on as usual. Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Prakash Javadekar had spoken to Mr. Sawant.
The festival will be held in a hybrid format. As per the regulations formulated by the I&B Ministry, the festival will screen movies on its official digital platform along with theatrical screening during the festival ‘subject to then prevailing conditions’.
The festival became an annual event from 1975.
Sawant’s assertion
Meanwhile, Mr. Sawant has asserted that IFFI-2020 will stick to its laid down schedule but said he had not heard anything so far on the issue from the Union government.
The festival is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals in association with the State government’s Entertainment Society of Goa.
As per the latest figures, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Goa is close to 10,000 and the State so far has reported 89 deaths.
Last year festival saw the screening of nearly 200 films from 76 countries. Secretary, Information and Broadcasting, Amit Khare, then announced that it would be dedicated to celebrated filmmaker Satyajit Ray as part of his birth centenary celebrations.
