International Film Festival to open on January 3 in Calcutta

Astrologically it must have been a wholly inauspicious moment when the authorities decided to hold the International Film Festival (Filmotsav '82) in Calcutta in January. The festival will open on January 3, on the very day the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has planned a rally in the heart of the city which, judging by past experience, is bound to be a mammoth affair and paralyse normal life for hours together.Backstage lobbying by officials of the festival's directorate to get the CPI-M to change the date having failed, it has now been decided to have the inaugural function around 9 p.m. by when traffic is expected to move freely once again. Somewhat embarrassed officials are seeking to explain the unusual timing with the excuse that "abroad the inaugural function takes place quite late in the evening". But even while this problem was being sorted out, most cinemas in the city closed down because of a strike by the employees and, in most cases, the consequent lock-out declared by the managements.The strike by the employees brings into sharp focus once again the miserable condition in which West Bengal's languishing film industry finds itself today. For the past year the employees have been demanding a proper pay-scale which the management says it cannot introduce unless the government comes forward to help it out of its own financial problems.Increased Costs: What has really hit exhibitors hard is the power crisis which has caused most of them to instal generators, resulting in a manifold increase in their costs.Bhattacharya: Festival on scheduleIn fact, the exhibitors themselves had threatened to close their establishments if the Government did not provide them with some fiscal relief and refrained from doing so on being assured that their case would be sympathetically considered at the next budget.Hardly had the talks with the exhibitors ended when the employees went on strike, on their year-old demand for an improved pay-scale. Last fortnight, with Information Ministry officials getting increasingly worried at the developments, the state Government had to do some frenetic exercises to get the strike withdrawn so that the Filmotsav could be held.In Calcutta, it is not just a question of getting the halls reopened and screening the films. Most of the halls are in bad shape, with plaster peeling off the walls, damaged seats and torn carpets. Even the better category of halls, where the films would be screened, have not had a coat of paint for quite some years as their owners say they do not have the money for proper maintenance.Urgency: With time running out, harassed officials are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that it will be possible to get the cinemas into some sort of shape and have them ready for the delegates who are expected to arrive from film centres within the country and abroad. Recently, Information Minister Vasant Sathe made some frantic enquiries about how things were progressing from officials posted in Calcutta.Sathe: WorriedHowever, if Sathe found the situation worrying, West Bengal's young minister for Information and Culture Buddhadev Bhattacharjee declared: "Nothing will prevent the festival from being held. The, Government of India officials have seen for themselves how I, myself, have been trying to get things sorted out and they should have no cause for anxiety."The Filmotsav will be held at the same time as another international event in the city: the fourth Test between India and England. This will also put considerable stress on the Government's resources. As one Government spokesman said: "We have to be careful to avoid even the tiniest slip-up which would have been ignored in other cities but which would assume serious proportions because the venue is Calcutta and the rulers are non-Congress(I) people." In view of the organisational lapses that have marked film festivals in Delhi and elsewhere, the West Bengal Government is particularly keen on ensuring a smooth show which would help it reiterate: "Things are better managed by leftists."Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 22, 2013 12:29 IST--- ENDS ---

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International Film Festival to open on January 3 in Calcutta

Astrologically it must have been a wholly inauspicious moment when the authorities decided to hold the International Film Festival (Filmotsav '82) in Calcutta in January.

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