The festival had a poor response last year, drawing criticism for the Goa government’s decision to make this its permanent venue. SAFF, which ran in Delhi for two years, was moved to Goa in 2008.
Sweden-based Afghan director Homayun Morowat’s “An Apple from Paradise” opens the festival here on Friday. Morowat’s fourth film, which won him an award at the Didor Tajikistan Film Festival and the Tolo TV film festival, was shot in some of the most challenging locations in Afghanistan in 2008.
The film which revolves around the controversial subject of the making of a suicide bomber is bound to rouse interest among Indian audiences.
There are four other entries from Afghanistan, but film enthusiasts will also get to see quite a few films from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well.