On the occasion of ‘World No Tobacco Day’, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), in association with the Department of Public Health Dentistry, Goa Dental College and Hospital, organized the fourth edition of ‘The Goa Anti-Tobacco Film Festival’ at Maquinez Palace, ESG, Panjim.
This year, the Goa Anti-Tobacco Film Festival received nine entries from all over India under the National section, and ten entries from Goa under the Goan section.
At the function, director, Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Dr Geeta Kakodkar; Oncologist, Manipal Hospital, Dr Shekhar Salkar; Dean, Goa Dental College and Hospital, Ida de Norohna de Ataide; IAS, Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment Society of Goa, Panaji, Goa, Swetika Sachan and dentist and professor, Goa Dental College Dr Amita Kenkre were present.
The Director of DHS, Dr Geeta Kakodkar highlighted the role of the DHS in the prevention of tobacco use, and said that these films, made by the participants would be used for promotions of ad campaigns of anti- tobacco in cinema theatres across Goa, TV channels, schools, colleges and other government department programs.
Oncologist at Manipal Hospital, Dr Shekhar Salkar said that the law should be strict to decrease the use of tobacco. He further added, “Cinema is a powerful medium through which audiences grasp the maximum, and it has a big impact, and people have become aware of the ill effects of tobacco.”
Amita Kenkre Kamat of the Goa Dental college also said that there was a need to decrease the occurrence of Oral Cancer in Goa. "Through the festival, we aim to spread awareness regarding the ill and harmful effects of tobacco use," Kenkre said.
For the ad film competition, there was a 3-member jury -- NCDC Nodal Officer, Dr Kedar Raikar, professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Goa Dental College and Hospital, Dr Ivy Coutinho and Film Critic, Sachin Chatte.
Under the National section, ‘Yes I Can’ by Satish R Gaonkar won the first prize of Rs 1,00,000; the second prize of Rs 50,000 was won by Sunil H Naik for ‘Voice of Innocence’, and ‘Mukhagni’ by Kedar K Manerikar won the third prize of Rs 30,000.
Once again ‘Yes I Can’ by Satish R Gaonkar won first place and Rs 50,000 in the Goa section. While ‘Carbon Copy’ by Siddhi Upadhye got the second place and Rs 30,000, and ‘Inhale’ by Runal Kolkankar won Rs 20,000 and secured the third place.
