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The International film Festival of India, now into its last day here, has provoked a major controversy. The Government, which runs the show, had more or less decided to strip it of
its gypsy cloak, For decades, this cinematic extravaganza has been traveling to a different city every January, returning to New Delhi every other year, sometimes after a longer period. Obviously, the
problems of a caravan existence have been multiplying. The organizing Directorate of Film Festivals, as wing of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, found, to its dismay, that a large chunk of
its time and energy went into setting up its offices in a new place, identifying theatres there and improving facilities in them. There was very little time to concentrate on what
is certainly the most important aspect of this whole business: cinema. It was, therefore, hardly surprising that this Festival could not get the best of fare. There were other factors that
contributed to this sorry mess. If the reluctance of the Ministry to give the Director and her men a free had was a major obstacle, an utter lack of interest and
a callous approach have almost killed the Festival. The Director remains the acting head, has been so far a long time. And, there has been virtually no attempt to replace
the officers who have left or have been transferred. Two days before this Festival began in the capital; one of the Deputy Directors was shifted. Admittedly, another took or immediately,
but to push a completely new man into the arena at an hour as critical as this merely proved how insensitive the Government was. It is in a scenario such as
this that the move to hold the Festival in the same city every year must be welcomed. The Directorate will now breathe easier, and with a major hurdle out of its
its gypsy cloak, For decades, this cinematic extravaganza has been traveling to a different city every January, returning to New Delhi every other year, sometimes after a longer period. Obviously, the
problems of a caravan existence have been multiplying. The organizing Directorate of Film Festivals, as wing of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, found, to its dismay, that a large chunk of
its time and energy went into setting up its offices in a new place, identifying theatres there and improving facilities in them. There was very little time to concentrate on what
is certainly the most important aspect of this whole business: cinema. It was, therefore, hardly surprising that this Festival could not get the best of fare. There were other factors that
contributed to this sorry mess. If the reluctance of the Ministry to give the Director and her men a free had was a major obstacle, an utter lack of interest and
a callous approach have almost killed the Festival. The Director remains the acting head, has been so far a long time. And, there has been virtually no attempt to replace
the officers who have left or have been transferred. Two days before this Festival began in the capital; one of the Deputy Directors was shifted. Admittedly, another took or immediately,
but to push a completely new man into the arena at an hour as critical as this merely proved how insensitive the Government was. It is in a scenario such as
this that the move to hold the Festival in the same city every year must be welcomed. The Directorate will now breathe easier, and with a major hurdle out of its
