The organisers of the Osian’s Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema, which takes place annually in New Delhi, have announced that this year’s edition has changed its dates to October 24-30.

The festival, which focuses on contemporary Indian, Asian and Arab cinema, previously announced that the 11th edition would take place July 17-26.

While it’s understood that the event has had some cash-flow problems related to the global financial downturn, it has been trying for some time to move its dates from summer, when Delhi is extremely hot, to the autumn which has much better weather.

In a letter sent to guests, Neville Tuli, chairman of arts organisation Osian’s Connoisseurs of Art which runs the festival, said: “We hope that the month of October will become the time for the annual OCFF rendezvous in future.”

Raman Chawla, senior vice president of the Osian’s Film House, added that the delay would enable the festival “to be better prepared and gain some time”.

In April, the festival also announced that Indian filmmaker Mani Kaul had been appointed director general, and would be assisted by joint directors Indu Shrikent and Latika Padgaonkar. Former director Aruna Vasudev stepped down last year after building up the festival to become one of India’s leading film events with a solid international reputation.

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