From today, u can read reports on IFFI 2005 from Panaji, Goa. My friend and collegue Tony Tharakan is there in Panaji reporting for Press Trust of India.
Tony Tharakan
Tony Tharakan
Panaji, Nov 24 (PTI) Hours before the curtain rises on the 36th International Film Festival of India, a press conference called to discuss media arrangements for the inaugural ceremony ended on asour note with several television and photojournalists staging a walkout.
Tempers ran high after organisers announced that television crews would not be allowed to carry cameras inside the high security INOX multiplex where the inaugural ceremony is scheduled to be held later today.
Refusing to heed Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) Director Afzal Amanullah's pleas to maintainorder, irate scribes decided to boycott the press conference and staged a walkout.
According to an I&B ministry official, only the official television sponsor would be showing the livetelecast of the ceremony whereas other channels would have access to live and deferred live footage from outside the venue.
However, broadcast journalists were not pleased with the organisers' decision.
"We have been covering the film festival for years. Even when it was previously held in Delhi, wewere allowed to carry the cameras inside," a miffed TV journalist said.
"They expect us to go and keep our equipment somewhere and not even take responsibility for it. Weare not pirates. This is really unfair," he added.
The media walkout at the press meet is not expected to affect the IFFI inaugural ceremony as thejournalists have said they would be not be boycotting the function.
The inaugural ceremony today would be preceded by a carnival, which would include floats, culturalpageantry and other festivities.
Yesteryear actor Dev Anand will be the Chief Guest whereas South Indian cinestar Chiranjeevi will be the Guest of Honour at the function.
Union Minister of Culture and Urban Development Jaipal Reddy would be present at the opening ceremony with film actresses Bipasha Basu and Tara sharing the honour of being the 'Thali Girl' for the function.
The ten-day film festival would kick off with the screening of Brazilian film 'Olga'.
Tempers ran high after organisers announced that television crews would not be allowed to carry cameras inside the high security INOX multiplex where the inaugural ceremony is scheduled to be held later today.
Refusing to heed Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) Director Afzal Amanullah's pleas to maintainorder, irate scribes decided to boycott the press conference and staged a walkout.
According to an I&B ministry official, only the official television sponsor would be showing the livetelecast of the ceremony whereas other channels would have access to live and deferred live footage from outside the venue.
However, broadcast journalists were not pleased with the organisers' decision.
"We have been covering the film festival for years. Even when it was previously held in Delhi, wewere allowed to carry the cameras inside," a miffed TV journalist said.
"They expect us to go and keep our equipment somewhere and not even take responsibility for it. Weare not pirates. This is really unfair," he added.
The media walkout at the press meet is not expected to affect the IFFI inaugural ceremony as thejournalists have said they would be not be boycotting the function.
The inaugural ceremony today would be preceded by a carnival, which would include floats, culturalpageantry and other festivities.
Yesteryear actor Dev Anand will be the Chief Guest whereas South Indian cinestar Chiranjeevi will be the Guest of Honour at the function.
Union Minister of Culture and Urban Development Jaipal Reddy would be present at the opening ceremony with film actresses Bipasha Basu and Tara sharing the honour of being the 'Thali Girl' for the function.
The ten-day film festival would kick off with the screening of Brazilian film 'Olga'.
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