PANAJI: The committee constituted by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat to formulate guidelines for screening of films under various sections during the International Film Festival of India 2010, by the Entertainment Society of Goa has come out with the final draft of such guidelines.

The committee comprised of Ms Nandini Sardesai, Mr Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, Mr Rajendra Talak, Dr Pramod Salgaoncar and a representative of the directorate of film festivals, Mr Sahani.

It may be recalled that the Indian Premiere Section at the IFFI had entered into a controversy after the CEO of the ESG, Mr Manoj Srivastava, in the absence of any guidelines, had allowed the screening of a video film in this section, during the mega film event, few years ago.

The first report of the demands-related ad hoc House committee on information and publicity, tabled in the State Legislative Assembly on July 30, had also recommended that the ESG frames guidelines for the film sections to be handles by it for the coming IFFI, as it would streamline the process of screening local productions at the film festival and do away with unnecessary obstructions before them.

"The committee recommends that these guidelines once framed should be observed strictly as it would help in screening quality films at the mega film festival," it had added.

One of the members on the panel, Mr Shetgaonkar informed ‘The Navhind Times’ on Saturday that the draft of guidelines for screening films by ESG, under certain film sections allotted to it, at the IFFI 2010 have already been finalized.

"The guidelines allows screening of 16 as well as 35 mm films, as well as video films under the Indian Premiere Section, after their due selection," the internationally reputed Goan filmmaker added, pointing out that the panel however objected to a clause, which made it mandatory on the part of the producers of the films selected for screening under the Indian Premiere Section, to submit one print of the particular film to the ESG.

"The ESG archive hardly includes print of a single film as submitted by a producer, whose film was previously screened under the India Premieres Section, and besides, the ESG has no proper facilities as available with the National Film Archives, to preserve such costly prints," he noted.

Mr Shetgaonkar further informed that he had taken strong objection for the panel constituting of filmmakers, whose films had a possibility of being screened at the IFFI 2010.

"It made no sense to have beneficiaries on the committee," he added.

Incidentally, many Goan filmmakers had also communicated with the Chief Minister, to drop beneficiaries, if any from this committee. Few days ago, the well-known Goan filmmaker, Rajendra Talak had told this daily that he had decided to withdraw from the panel as his film had a chance of being screened at the IFFI 2010, under the Indian Premiere Section.

"I therefore, did not attend the meeting of the committee, earlier this week," he had pointed out.

Meanwhile, reacting to the film archive of the ESG, many members of the Cinephile, a film club set up by the ESG had told this daily that much remains to be achieved as regards the quality of films available in the archive. These films are regularly screened by the ESG for the Cinephile members.