ITFF in Maldives the "best" for international celebs

Maldives is sure to be on the travel bucket list of everyone. Its white sandy beaches and exquisite blue waters with a treasure trove of marine life is undisputed. Everyone wants a holiday in Maldives – the paradise on earth.

This is what the international film stars and celebrities at The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives to attend the International Tourism Film Festival in Maldives titled – Following the Equator - have to say about the country.

Popular British television and radio presenter and model, Lizzie Cundy said that she was proud to be invited to the first tourism film festival being held in Maldives.

Cundy, 46, who is on her first visit to Maldives, said that it was immensely important to hold a tourism film festival in the country given its popularity as a top tourist destination.

She said that the ITFF in Maldives was very different from the Cannes Film Festival.

Lizzie Cundy in an interview with Sun. Sun photo: Naliu

“There is no better place to hold such a festival. It’s very different from film festivals like Cannes Film Festival which I attended in the past. This is a well-rounded festival. I have attended a lot of film festivals. There is no beach or this environment in the other festivals. It’s perfect,” said Cundy, adding that she was already looking forward to attending the next ITFF which will be held in Maldives next year.

Cundy said that she felt heart-warmed by the hospitality of Maldivians which she was experiencing in her stay in Iru Fushi.

She said that her stay in Iru Fushi was an altogether unique experience.

Lizzie Cundy in an interview with Sun. Sun photo: Naliu

The queen of the red carpet in international film festivals, Cundy said that she got opportunities to travel to a lot of countries and destinations due to the nature of her work, but that she had not yet visited a destination as beautiful as Maldives.

“I will tell others during the next red carpet event that they should absolutely visit Maldives,” said Cundy.

Ben Douglas, a showbiz reporter who has worked for popular British newspapers such as Daily Mail and The Times, said that he had attended film festivals in all corners of the earth, but that he had not experienced a film festival as perfect as the one being held in Iru Fushi.

He said that the resort was perfect to hold such a film festival.

Ben Douglas in an interview with Sun. Sun photo: Naliu

Expressing amazement over the beauty of the country, Douglas said that other international film festivals were held at great expense, but that he believed the ITFF in Iru Fushi was held without any concern to the expense, and out of love – to advertise Maldivian tourism.

He said that holding a tourism film festival is a small island nation such as Maldives which is heavily dependent on tourism, would bring in tourists from all over the world.

A first-timer to Maldives, Douglas said that he wished for other international film festivals to be held in Maldives.

German television and voice actor Raul Richter and his actress girlfriend Valentina Pahde said that Maldives was a tourist destination which knew tourism well.

Raul Richter and his actress girlfriend Valentina Pahde in an interview with Sun. Sun photo: Naliu

Pahde said that it was the best film festival she had attended. While Richter noted that the ITFF in Iru Fushi may not be as big a festival as the Berlin Film Festival – but it was perfect, nonetheless.