Panaji, Nov 26 (IANS): FTII students have conveyed gratitude towards filmmakers like Saeed Mirza and Rakesh Sharma for being part of the two-day alternative film festival, which was organised by FTII students here.

The students have also appealed to the delegates attending the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here to raise their voice against the “systematic exclusion of students” from the 46th edition of the festival.

A statement by the FTII Students' Association read: “We are overwhelmed by the response of students, filmmakers, delegates attending IFFI, and the general people of Goa for their tremendous support and enthusiasm shown by them towards the package of films by FTII students which were screened over the last two."

“We would appeal to all filmmakers, students and delegates at IFFI to use every platform available to them to raise their voice against the systematic exclusion of students from the festival and the mishandling of FTII by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting," the statement read.

The students of the Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India resorted to an alternative festival when the entire students' films section was dropped from the IFFI. The film fest was held on November 24-25, and some 20 films made by the students and recent graduates of the FTII were screened.

Meanwhile, the students created a stir at the venue of the inaugural ceremony of IFFI, and raised objection over the subsequent arrest of some students for protesting outside the venue.

FTII students observed a 139-day strike from June 12 this year, in protest against the appointment of BJP member and actor Gajendra Chauhan as the institute's chairman, claiming the artiste was unfit for the position. But they promised to escalate the agitation against Chauhan's appointment in a “peaceful and democratic” manner.