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IFFI rocks in Goa Panaji, UNI: It's music first and last. Catch the films in between. There has been more music and controversies than films in the first half of the Goa International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Local bands welcome delegates to movie halls singing hits of the Eagles and the Rolling Stones. Get out and you still hear them. "IFFI has become a carnival," says national award-winning Malayalam director Jayaraj. Some festival veterans say the festival is "losing its sanctity because of excessive music." Whatever they say, for a festival aspiring to become the Cannes of Asia, it seems Goa IFFI is getting its own identity! Not all musicians are singing odes to IFFI. Remo Fernandes, the Indian music icon, has slammed doors on the festival saying the government was more interested in state-of-the-art movie halls than well furnished schools and well maintained hospitals. "The broken benches of our schools and the broken window panes of our hospitals are in stark contrast to the state-of-the-art Inox theatre," says Remo, who refused to perform at the IFFI opening ceremony. Talking about opening ceremony, it was the much-maligned song and dance of Indian cinema, which saved the IFFI from blushes at an inaugural that began with an out of sorts hostess Rukhshanda Khan reading out the welcome note from the teleprompter. But for the dance sequences from 'Mughal-e-Azam' (Urmila Matondkar performing 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya' and Pakistani actress Meera's 'Dil cheez kya hain' from Umrao Jaan'), that slow wave of the red rose from chief guest and Bollywood's greatest romantic hero Dev Anand and the eloquence of Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, the overstretched opening ceremony (two hours 40 minutes) would have been a damp squib. Controversies began as the screenings started. Fresh from lighting the lamp at the previous days inauguration, 'thali girl' and national award winner for best actress this year, Kannada actress Tara, was turned away from the repeat screening of the opening film 'Olga' (Brazil), whose leading actress has become the toast of the town. The repeat screening for the 3,000 delegates attending the festival took place in a 230-capacity hall and Tara faced the ignominy of being told by a staff at the Inox multiplex, the official venue of IFFI, that she should instead watch the Polish film showing in the next hall. The Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), however, succumbed to pressure from delegates and journalists covering the festival, to hold another screening. This time too the hall was packed still leaving many outside but thankfully Festival Director Afzal Amanullah had the good sense to open the doors allowing the film buffs to squat on the floor and aisle. Remember the unwritten festival rule? Never miss an opening film. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
