Goa fails to bite IFFI's soccer bite

Panaji, Nov 29 (IANS) The 42nd edition of IFFI's much touted soccer film package has turned out to be a damp squib with virtually no audiences turning up for the big screen event at a local football ground.

The International Film festival of India (IFFI) director Shankar Mohan has expressed disappointment at the failure of the football segment to kick off, especially in a soccer loving state.

'I was expecting a better response with this thing. Was hoping that Panaji and Goa's live for football would have been good. We have given a lot of coverage and publicity for the event,' Mohan said.

IFFI organisers had curated a special package on football-related films, which were being screened at a local football ground every night on a big screen. However, virtually all screenings had a dismal audience sometimes in double digits.

The special segment 'Soccer in Cinema' offers films like 'A Barefoot Dream' (South Korea) directed by Kim Tae-gyun, 'Mario Filho, Creators of Crowd' (Brazil) by Oscar Maron Filho, 'Foot of God' (Italy) by Louis Sardiello, 'Argentina Futbol Club' (Argentina - USA) by Juan Pablo Rubio, 'The Best Women in the World' (Germany) by Britta Becker, 'More Than Just a Game' (South Africa) by Junaid Ahmed and 'Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait' (France) by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parrenodsax.

The move was aimed at getting the soccer loving locals more involved in the film festival.

Incidentally, Oscar Marron Filho, one of the directors whose documentary film on football writer Mario Filio, was screened during the festival, died due to cardiac arrest during the festival.