View 'stars' by day, sleep under stars by night Claire Antao, TNN, Nov 21, 2010, 05.23am IST
PANAJI: Another November and the movies are almost in town. Delegates who registered well in advance get in line to collect their precious entry passes, media folk still await theirs, the umbrellas are up and the paint has dried, the boulevard's lit up and decked to the nines with the blue peacock peeking from a lamppost, fence, wall or sidewalk. Iffi 2010 is a heartbeat away. With innovative online ticketing, beefed up security, expansion in management, additional film clubs for special screenings, and a food and shopping festival in the neighbourhood, this year's movie marathon seems filled with new ventures. While the state is also well into its tourist season, room rates and resort tariffs are at their peak making housing an expensive affair especially in the capital city. So, green tents are being pitched at the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) campsite forming the film village. "This is an ESG initiative to help students travelling from outside the state to avail of cost-effective, efficient housing while attending the festival," says Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) CEO Manoj Srivastava. These tents are being provided by SAG along with the directorate of sports and youth affairs. The cost per person per night is 200. People living at the village can also avail of the canteen facilities and sports facilities like the badminton court, rock climbing, etc, available in the SAG premises at a nominal price. Although about 40 tents were to be put up according to ESG sources three days ago, there were only 12 ready and fixed on Saturday morning. "We have only arranged 12 tents so far as about 100 people registered and about 10 people can fit comfortably in each tent. We will add more tents as more people register," said Mahesh Naik, SAG assistant secretary (complexes). "The tents are sturdy and waterproof with a green layer outside for weather protection and a thick layer inside for comfort. We will also provide the people with sheets and blankets and have made available 24 lockers which they can use to keep their valuables. Since most of them are coming in groups, the lockers should suffice and we are trying to arrange more," he added "There will be eight toilets and eight bathrooms located near the camp site and the camp residents can also use the toilet facilities of the swimming pool building. We have redesigned our security system so that the camp area will have round-the-clock security," said Naik. "We have made arrangements by using the resources we have. We will spend on electricity for the tents," he added. Students registered online or on the phone from their hometowns and tents were allotted on a first-come-first-served basis by the ESG. "We have received registration from students from Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Students of the Satyajit Ray Film Institute in Kolkata will also be staying at the village," said ESG sources. The first filmi campers are expected to arrive on Monday, adding life to the village that will be decorated with running lights. Each year, the festival gains added momentum, through interesting and fresh innovations like these, said sources. This year after watching film stars all day, the film village residents can sleep under the stars at night. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Documentaries-on-classical-dance-at-Iffi/articleshow/6962068.cms
