The administration of the Entertainment Society of Goa has collapsed beyond recognition. This has become evident with the shocking decision to rate the Konkani film “Juze”, a film that has won international awards and been showcased at leading global film festivals, as “C Category” under the Film Finance Scheme of the Department of Information & Publicity. Such an act amounts to deliberate suppression and victimisation of Goan talent, charged former Member of the Entertainment Society of Goa, Vishal Pai Cacode.
He further demanded that Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, must immediately intervene to rectify this injustice, restore transparency, and ensure that genuine Goan talent is given the recognition and support it rightfully deserves. Film is directed by talented filmmaker from South Goa Miransha Naik.
It must be placed on record that Juze was an official selection at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, considered among the top global festivals. The film went on to win the Special Jury Award at the Minsk International Film Festival, Best Debut Director at the Innovative International Film Festival, and Best Director at the Singapore South Asian Film Festival. It was also screened at Hong Kong, Cork, Dublin, Mumbai, IFFI Goa, New York Indian Film Festival and altogether travelled to 25 national and international festivals, bringing global recognition to Konkani cinema. Significantly, Juze also won 14 awards at the Tenth Goa State Film Festival, underscoring its stature and acclaim.
Despite this remarkable journey, the film has been callously relegated to the “C Category” in the Goa Film Finance Scheme. This categorisation, riddled with ambiguities and defects in the list released, is not only an insult to the filmmaker but also a direct attempt to demoralise and suppress Goan creativity on the world stage. Instead of celebrating international success, ESG and DIP have chosen to undermine it, said Vishal Pai Cacode.
He further said, “This is not the first time that Goan filmmakers have faced such victimisation. In the past, the script of ‘Paltadcho Manis’ by filmmaker Laxmikant Shetgaonkar was rejected by the Government of Goa. Ironically, the same film was later produced by the National Film Development Corporation, went on to bag the National Award, and was screened at several prestigious international film festivals. History is now repeating itself, showing how little has changed in the system.”
These acts of suppression raise serious concerns about the credibility of schemes meant to support and promote Goan cinema. The Goa Film Finance Scheme, riddled with ambiguities and inconsistencies, is today reduced to a tool of neglect rather than support. Far from being a platform for nurturing Goan films, it is being misused to undermine genuine talent, he charged.
It is also high time the Goa Film Finance Scheme undergoes a complete review, with fair, transparent, and merit-based criteria. ESG and DIP cannot continue to operate as instruments of bias and personal agendas. They must transform into true custodians of Goa’s cinematic and cultural future, giving Goan filmmakers encouragement instead of suppression. I had also pointed out how the last three editions of the Goa State Film Festival were organised without valid government notification, further exposing the collapse of governance in the cultural sector, stated Vishal Pai Cacode.