Canacona: During a discussion on the final day of the Prashanti film fest at Loliem, Canacona, Konkani actors emphasized that the Goa government must do more to foster the growth of Konkani cinema. Despite Konkani films and actors receiving accolades and recognition at national and international platforms, the actors urged the government to step up with additional support.
Concerns Raised After Screening of 'Juze'
The concerns were voiced during a discussion held after the screening of the internationally acclaimed Konkani film 'Juze'. The film's lead actor, Sudesh Bhise, called for a government policy to promote Konkani cinema, akin to the support provided to Marathi cinema in Maharashtra. He proposed measures such as prioritizing tax-free screenings in all cinema halls across Goa.
Revenue Sharing Challenges
Sidhesh Naik, the editor of 'Juze', pointed out that commercial cinema theatres like INOX insist on a 70:30 revenue-sharing basis, which is unaffordable for a small state like Goa. He added that the state lacks a wealthy, cinema-loving community willing to invest in Konkani films.
Issues with Film Finance Scheme
International award winner Prashanti Talpankar, who received a state award for her performance in the film, described the government's film finance scheme as problematic. She stated that although a decade-long backlog of 30 films was cleared last year, the process stalled due to what she termed as flawed jury decisions regarding the three-tier finance policy.
'Juze', which set a record by winning 14 awards at the Goa state film festival, received only Rs 10 lakh in financial assistance under the C category. Following protests by director Miransha Naik in September last year, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) assured a re-evaluation of the films. However, no action has been taken in the past eight months.
