DD skips closing ceremony telecast

DD skips closing ceremony telecast
Express News Service

FEBRUARY 9: Doordarshan, which broadcast live the opening ceremony of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) on February 3 and had promised to do the same on the closing day of the fest, has told the festival organisers there will be no live coverage of the event.

Films Division chief Bankim told mediapersons that Doordarshan had decided to telecast live both the opening and the closing ceremony. ``We had informed the Maharashtra government accordingly and also the Governor, who will be chief guest on the occasion. I feel embarrassed now. I do not know why a live telecast has been denied. Only Doordarshan can answer,'' he said.

Asked if the telecast was denied because of Life Time Achievement award winner Homi Sethna's remark against the Prasar Bharati and Films Division, Bankim said if a veteran documentary film-maker is critical of certain things, Doordarshan should take it in the proper spirit and not as an attack on its machinery. ``Any criticism is an opportunity for one to correct oneself,''he said.

Aruna Raje, president of the Indian Documentary Producers Association, was also critical. ``I don't know why they're not telecasting the closing ceremony, but if it has to do with what Homi Sethna said, it is silly,'' she said.

Bankim said the next venue of the festival would not be Nehru Centre as the projection system there was not satisfactory and not at par with international standards. ``We tried to work it out but the projection system left much to be desired. Besides, all staff members were complaining about lack of infrastructure to conduct a festival of this size,'' he said.