"If Goa government allows, we will surely like to make Goa as our permanent venue," Rahul Barua, Secretary General of South Asian Foundation (SAF), which is hosting the festival along with state government's Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) said.

SAFF-Goa will be held between June 27 to June 30 at Panaji, in two venues tucked on the Mandovi river. "Goa is a new face for film festivals. This is a vibrant place. More than film festival, we want Goa to be destination for filmmakers," Barua said.

If SAFF gets Goa as a permanent venue, this would be the second festival to shift its base from Delhi, the first one being International film festival of India (IFFI), which is happening in Panaji since 2004.

The SAFF officials said that the festival although will be held once in India, it will keep on travelling to south Asian countries. The festival has Dhaka and Nepal on its calendar this year.

"We also have plans for Pakistan and Bhutan festivals but it is still to be decided. The SAFF will go to Dhaka and Nepal by the end of this year," Barua said.

SAFF-Goa will have over 45 films from eight South Asian countries--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka--participating in it.

Barua said that the film and entertainment industry has maximum market in south Asia. "During the festival, there would be exchange of ideas. All the countries have some expertise or other," the Secretary General said.

For the first time, SAFF will be premiering five films including Bangladeshi film Unadittya. "Two films from Hindi, one from Marathi and a Pakistani short film will also be premiered during the four day event," Barua said.

The festival will screen films from five categories -- classic, short, documentary, mainstream and niche.

Encompassing all kinds of films, the festival will feature Raj Kapoor's Heena as well as Mahesh Bhatt's Jannat.

It will also include some of the internationally acclaimed and award winning films like Osama (Afghanistan), Matir Moina (much acclaimed Bangladeshi film to be awarded at Cannes and other prestigious film festivals), Mille Soya and Hansa Vilak (highly praised films from Sri Lanka).

It will also feature Khuda Ke Liye, which was the first Pakistani movie to be released in India after 40 years, and Khamosh Pani, a sensitive movie based on India-Pak partition.