The much-anticipated 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is set to commence today in Goa. The grand inauguration will take place at the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Stadium in Bambolim at 5 PM, officiated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State L. Murugan. Renowned spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and film stars such as Nagarjuna, Nithya Menon, and Boman Irani will grace the occasion. Adding a musical touch, AR Rahman will deliver a special performance paying homage to the legendary Lata Mangeshkar.
Spanning eight days, the festival will feature 25 captivating feature films and 20 non-feature films. The Australian film Better Man will open the event at 2:30 PM, while the Hindi biopic Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, directed by Randeep Hooda, leads the feature film segment. In the non-feature category, Harsh Sangani’s Ghar Jaisa Kuch (Ladakhi) will be the first to screen.
Malayalam cinema will have a strong presence, with Aadujeevitham, Bhramayugam, Level Cross (Indian Panorama), and Manjummal Boys (Mainstream) being showcased. The festival also includes a competition for emerging directors, with five films, including Rakesh Narayanan’s Thanupp, vying for the title of Best New Director.
This year’s IFFI will honour iconic figures such as Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and Mohammed Rafi for their contributions to Indian cinema. With Australia as the ‘Country of Focus,’ seven Australian films will be screened, and industry representatives from Screen Australia and Ausfilm will participate. Additionally, six films will be featured in the Work in Progress Lab, highlighting promising cinematic ventures.
