Panaji, Aug 13 (IANS): India's northeastern states would be part of a special focus package at the 2013 edition of the International Film Festival of India, an official said Tuesday.

Festival director Shankar Mohan said after a meeting with officials of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which oversees logistical preparations at the major film event, that the organisers were in the process of picking out a country or region for focus during the festival.

"We are in the process of narrowing down between Japan, Italy or the African continent for the country focus segment," Shankar said, adding that films from nearly 70 countries would be screened during the festival.

"There will also be a section dedicated to Konkani cinema," he said, adding that films from the northeastern states would be a part of the festival's national focus segment.

Since 2004, when Goa was chosen as the IFFI's permanent destination, the festival is held in the last week of November.