MUMBAI: There was a sad news that engulfed the participants of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa yesterday when Brazilian filmmaker and journalist Oscar Maron Filho collapsed while speaking to the audiences in the open forum at the festival.

After suffering a cardiac arrest, the 56-year old filmmaker was rushed to the Goa Medical College and Hospital where he expired. Filho was attending the festival with his documentary feature Mario Filho, The Creator of Crowds, about the legendary sports chronicler, who wrote about Brazilian football. The film was screening in a special section about soccer in cinema.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1955, Filho was a director at Brazilian production companies Atlantida Cinematografica and Canal 100 Newsreel, under the banner of which he made short films such as Bye Bye Romario, Pelé, O Papa Da Bola and Pelé EO Gol Mil.

Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamath said, "It is most unfortunate that we lost one of the most important delegates during the film festival. We condole his death."