Road closures pose challenge for film lovers at Pune International Film Festival

Some members of the audience said that they had missed afternoon shows. Others compared notes on how they had made special efforts to make it to the screenings of important films that afternoon. “Like me, many people came early in the morning to avoid road issues because we didn’t want to miss the chance to watch the films,” said a film buff.

“The crowd, today, is noticeably less compared to the previous days. Earlier, there was a lot of excitement and it was difficult to get seats, but today there is no such struggle. This could be because of the cycle tour, due to which many people may have missed screenings. Internationally renowned films are being screened here, which is a rare opportunity for local audiences. But travel restrictions between Pavilion and E Square during the tour could turn into a serious inconvenience for film lovers,” said Bhaskar, a filmmaker.

After the roads opened in the evening, audiences streamed in, and the barricades and traffic diversions earlier in the day made way for discussions about stories and performances.