Although a great fan of the entertainment industry, which has a wide influence on the people, I totally support the locals who are objecting to the proposed film city project on Loliem village’s Bhagwati Plateau.
At a gram sabha held on Sunday, the people of Loliem village overwhelmingly decided to oppose the planned film city project and decided to take action to protect their plateaus.
The locals said that the idea infuriated and shocked them and saw it as an attempt to exploit community land for personal gain. They expressed worry about the potentially catastrophic outcomes affecting the whole village.
What is surprising is the assertion of Sarpanch Nisha Chari who said that the panchayat has not received any letters or proposals in relation to the film city project. In response, the locals didn’t remain silent, they too asserted that the panchayat is in charge of gathering the required data and presenting it to the gram sabha for the members’ deliberative consideration.
What is surprising is the assertion of Sarpanch Nisha Chari who said that the panchayat has not received any letters or proposals in relation to the film city project.
The gram sabha members’ concerns in Loliem-Polem shed light on the complex issues and possible negative outcomes related to the proposed film city project. It is acknowledged that the plateaus of Loliem are rich biodiversity areas. Thus, the members of the gram sabha stressed the value of protecting animals on the plateaus and the ecological necessity of keeping the land open for customary purposes.
The gram sabha stressed the value of protecting animals on the plateaus and the ecological necessity of keeping the land open for customary purposes.
The members of the gram sabha drew attention to the negative effects that film production operations have on the environment, highlighting in particular the production of garbage. Large volumes of toxic and non-biodegradable trash, including plastics and plaster of paris, are produced as a result of film shootings.
Also, what drew criticism was the inadequate local resources and infrastructure to support the objectives of the film city initiative. It emphasized how scarce resources like water, energy, healthcare, jobs and roads may become. The projected population growth of the area, attributed to film city, was estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000, surpassing Loliem village’s carrying capacity.
Also, what drew criticism was the inadequate local resources and infrastructure to support the objectives of the film city initiative.
Following careful consideration, the locals overwhelmingly approved a resolution opposing the film city proposal expressing the community’s resolve to protect Loliem village’s plateaus and to oppose any development that they feel will have a negative influence on the environment, the community or the economy.
My major concern is not about the acceptance or rejection of the film city but whether we really need such a project. Instead, I truly believe that the government needs to encourage Goan filmmakers by providing them with schemes or rather making the existing schemes functional for the filmmakers.
A film city will go a long way no doubt but before that we need to come up with initiatives that will build excellent stories for quality cinema and actors. Well, a Goan Section at the 54th International Film Festival of India does prove that something has been done in this area but there is a lot more to be done.
A Goan Section at the 54th International Film Festival of India does prove that something has been done in this area but there is a lot more to be done.
We need to encourage more filmmakers to promote Goan culture through their pieces of work. The festivals conducted in Goa should showcase Goan artists’ talents, culture and heritage, bringing local talent to the forefront and providing a platform for them to showcase their art to national and international media fostering a sense of pride and appreciation for Goan culture.
Just having a look at IFFI, which came to Goa in 2004 with high expectations and promises that the state would become a significant hub for filmmaking, the current status shows us that it is still to be a reality for Goans.
The envisioned benefits may not have materialized as expected despite 19 years of its existence in Goa. Concern is also raised about the limited promotion of local languages, particularly Konkani and Marathi, within the IFFI ecosystem. Konkani films are often screened in response to demands but may not receive significant attention or support.
The envisioned benefits may not have materialized as expected despite 19 years of its existence in Goa. Also, Konkani films are often screened in response to demands but may not receive significant attention or support.
Has Goa truly benefited economically, culturally, or in the field of filmmaking due to its association with IFFI? Experts say that there is a perceived lack of substantial gains for the Goan film industry. Not just that the quality of films selected for IFFI is observed to be Bollywood-centric. Earlier there have been also cases where local Goan artistes and filmmakers felt excluded or faced challenges in participating in IFFI in Goa perceiving a disconnect between the festival and the local film community.
Thus, instead of just emphasizing the need for a film city in Goa, I truly believe what we need is support for local filmmakers to create a film culture in Goa. And the need for initiatives to increase film literacy, establish film clubs and support local film productions.
These measures are essential for fostering a thriving film culture in Goa. Or else we will notice the local talent migrating to other languages and countries, leading to a loss for Goa’s film industry.