Liquor baron to give away short film awards at IFFI

PANAJI - Business and liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya will give away the best short film awards, including an environment film award, at the 41st International Film Festival of India’s (IFFI) short film centre (SFC) here Tuesday.

“Mr. Mallya will be attending award ceremony as chief guest. The SFC concept has clicked well and it has given a platform for the documentary filmmakers. Mr. Mallya’s presence would give a boost to the concept,” Manoj Srivastava, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), a co-host of the festival, told reporters here.

The SFC has nearly 30 films in the race for the competition section, including 10 environment-based movies, which are vying for the Vasudha Award - a first state-sponsored award of its kind for green documentaries.

Mallya’s United Breweries (UB) group is one of the major sponsors of the festival with a contribution of Rs.50 lakh to the IFFI kitty.

His airline Kingfisher not only has a beer counter at the venue, but also sponsors Kingfisher Village, where entertainers put up dances and live music shows for the milling crowds.