Public not barred from Goa IFFI screenings: DFF

New Delhi, Nov 8 (UNI) All movie lovers are welcome at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), starting in Goa from November 23, and all reports of public being kept away are baseless, says the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF).

''I am surprised to read reports that the general public is banned from the film screening venues. The truth is that there is no restriction on public watching films at the festival,'' DFF Director Neelam Kapoor told UNI.

If people besides mediapersons and invited delegates want to see a movie, they would have to get themselves registered as delegates, which was a requirement in place since the 2005 festival too, Ms Kapur said.

''There is no change in the existing position,'' she added.

The festival director said that out of 5000 to 6000 delegates, 1500 would be in the general category which can include any movie lover above 18 years of age.

She said that this time the system had been streamlined to avoid the long queues and delays and consequent complaints, which marked the previous events. There would be advance booking of film tickets which could be done by delegates themselves at computerised kiosks.

The computerised tickets, free of cost, will contain the seat number to leave no scope for any chaos and confusion.

''All this has been done following international standards,'' said Ms Kapoor.

She said some more facilities had been added to the festival venue to make the screenings smooth.

Two new theatres have been constructed and two old ones have been upgraded to screen the films entered for the festival.

Moreover, special arrangements have been made to screen popular movies as there is always a great demand for them at the festival, said the Director of the DFF which works under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

UNI