Iffy about it

The Directorate of Film Festival in Delhi formed a jury headed by MS Sathyu barely two months before the festival, beginning November 24. Says Kolkata-based film-maker Biplab Roy Choudhury, a jury member, ‘‘We had to depend on entries that were submitted by film-makers and selected 20 features out of 82 features. The director, more of a figure head than a curator, changes every year; so it’s finally the jury’s call.’’

Although Indian films still don’t have a presence in the major international festivals, new filmmakers are trying to get into the circuit. On film billboards, distributors like to flash a ‘Cannes’ or ‘Toronto’ tag as prominently as the credits. But IFFI is yet to enthuse most filmmakers.

Rahul Dholakia, director of Parzania, a film about a Parsi family’s tribulations in riot-torn Gujarat, spent a year travelling the world for entry into an A-list film festival before even thinking of releasing the film at home. Finally, it was screened at the Pusan Film Festival in Seoul this month. ‘‘Whether you like it or not, entry into an A-list festival helps. IFFI is still seen as a national festival,’’ Dholakia says.

Blame it on the lack of a consistent director or on the budget, the Cannes dream is far too unrealistic for Goa. Seasoned curator Aruna Vasudev, editor of Cinemaya, says, ‘‘I see a fairly bleak future for IFFI unless they appoint a director who stays for at least four years. Curators need to travel a great deal. With only festival catalogues and entries to rely on, IFFI is dependent on what it can get, not what it wants to get.’’