Citing increasing Covid-19 numbers, the government has indefinitely postponed the 13th edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), earlier scheduled from March 24 to 31.
Simultaneously, a controversy is raging over the money spent last year on the inaugural and closing ceremonies of the festival.
Mohan Kondajji, MLC and filmmaker, has written to the government, asking it to stop wasteful expenditure. He has provided numbers: Rs 2.45 crore was spent in 2020 on the two galas, as against just Rs 16.6 lakh in 2019.
Suneel Puranik, who became chairman of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) last year, says the allegations about splurging have hurt him.
“The tradition of extravagant spending began during the Congress regime. Kareena Kapoor was invited by paying more than Rs 1 crore. Last year, under my tenure as chairman, we brought in Jayaprada, Boney Kapoor and Sonu Nigam. We footed their travel and hotel bills and didn’t pay them any money. They all have strong links with the Kannada film industry,” he says.
On why Rs 2.45 crore was spent on two ceremonies, he says, “We were working towards getting an international accreditation for BIFFes and we had the technical team travel from overseas. We also had a strong line up of international film personalities who were flown in.”
Suneel also says that the funds were allocated and distributed to the different departments even before he took over as the chairman. “I only executed the plan and was not involved in any financial planning and distribution of the funds,” reasons Suneel.
Kondajji, who spoke to Showtime, says the KCA must use the funds to create a film movement in the state. “Instead of splurging on unnecessary aspects, the Academy must hold film festivals in Tier-II cities. That’s how you encourage young filmmakers,” he says.
Showtime spoke to a cross-section of actors and directors about the controversy.
Spend money carefully
Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, former chairman of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, says BIFFes must not be held like a private event, with business determining all decisions.
“The festival must be hosted with dignity and accountability. While Kareena Kapoor was paid a huge amount and brought in, filmmaker Rahul Rawail and actor Anant Nag, who came in during my tenure, came for the love of the art, without any remuneration,” says Nagathihalli.
Make it big
Rajendra Singh Babu, the experienced director, says a film festival must be celebrated in style. “BIFFes needs to be noticed and recognised across the globe. Some films that eventually won Oscars were first screened at BIFFes,” he says.
Screen quality films
Director Umashankar Swamy, one of whose films won the NETPAC award at BIFFes in 2015, says a film festival’s standard is judged by the quality of films screened and the people invited.
He is against outsourcing the opening and closing ceremonies to event companies.
“The academy must spend on conducting the festival rather than on the ceremonies. We have had editions organised well by the Information Department in association with the Academy. So why do we need event management companies?” he says.
The International Film Festival of Kerala is simple and yet its seminars are impressive. That is why it has developed a great reputation, he says.
Cinema is an academic discipline
T S Nagabharana, renowned filmmaker and founder-president of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, says the academy must develop rigour in its approach to cinema.
“The time, money, and energy spent on inauguration and closing galas must be used to complete tasks related to cinema. The term ‘academy’ suggests that cinema should be treated as an academic discipline. The academy hasn’t bothered to bring out any publications, barring one book on the history of cinema,” he says.
Promote Kannada classics
National Award-winning filmmaker Mansore questions the need for inviting Bollywood celebrities to the festival.
“We must invite Western directors who are capable of engaging the crowd with meaningful interactions. The academy must work towards promoting Kannada classics. It must introduce a Kannada Panorama section. It must make sure our films are screened at other film festivals,” he says.