Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announced on Wednesday that the 50th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in a new convention centre with 10 screening halls.

Parrikar told reporters that the state cabinet on Wednesday had approved the construction of the proposed convention centre on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

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“We would like to have the film festival in a complex of its own for its 50th edition (in 2019). The convention centre will be 5,000 to 6,000 seater. That will be phase one,” Parrikar said, adding that the centre will also have 10 screening halls.

The second phase, the Chief Minister explained will involve the construction of three, four and five-star hotels in the convention centre complex of around 1,000-room capacity.

Ever since the festival was permanently relocated to Goa in 2014, film screenings have been held at a multiplex in Panaji, where local and international delegations have repeatedly complained about lack of space for the 8,000-10,000 film lovers, who descend on the state during the annual event.

This year the IFFI will be held from November 20-28.