Talking of professionalism and pride, the people charged with handling the presentation ceremonies before each show at the 36th IFFI are clearly in need of a crash course in cinema history. Some of the boo-boos committed by the young comperes roped in to do the honors were embarrassing to say the very least.

But nothing could rival what happened when yesteryears actress Vanamala, 91, was invited on stage before the screening of the late Prahlad Keshav Atre's Marathi classic, "Shyamchi Aai" (1953).

"We are really happy that Vanamala Devi is here for the screening today," he said. Probably carried away by the emotion of the nostalgic moment, he then went on to put his foot in his mouth. "But, ladies and gentlemen, the director, Mr Atre, could not make it to Goa." Poor guy, he was not obviously aware that the Maharashtrian filmmaker and literary figure passed away over three decades ago.

Even if the Directorate of Film Festivals had wanted to invite Atre, it could not have done so unless some supernatural means could be devised. A DFF official had to step in and take the microphone away in order to prevent the situation from sinking further into the grotesque.