After 'Libaas' producer's legal notice, IFFI draws the ire of Assamese filmmaker for screening her film without consent
The poster of Akashitarar Kathare
The Directorate of International Film Festivals (DIFF) is facing fresh allegations for screening films without the makers' consent. On November 29, 'Libaas' producer Vikas Mohan slapped a legal notice on the body for showcasing the yet-to-be-released film during the 45th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa without prior intimation. Barely 48 hours later, Assamese producer Sangeeta Tamuli has raised similar objections.
The poster of 'Akashitarar Kathare'
Tamuli says, "Akashitarar Kathare was screened on Saturday and it's a shame that DIFF ignored me. Forget an invitation, they didn't have the basic courtesy to inform me about it. Until now, I had been invited to every festival where my film has been shown."
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Her film had bagged the National Award for Best Assamese film in 2004. Denying having given the film's print to the festival authorities, she adds, "I had given it to the National Film Archive of India for preservation and archiving, not to screen it. I want them to apologise to me or else I will be forced to take legal action against IFFI and DIFF. I want to know how they secured a copy of my film."
Manoj Srivastav, former CEO of Entertainment Society of Goa, says, "The regulations for screenings in the Indian Panorama segment was changed in 2008, making it mandatory to intimate the producers in question. That wasn't done in case of Libaas. And as far as National Award-winning films like Akashitarar Kathare are concerned, both consent and intimation are a must, which, again, were not followed." DIFF chief Shankar Mohan was not available for comment.
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