The 55th International Film Festival of India will take place from 20 to 28 November, 2024 at Panaji, Goa. The theme of this year's festival is 'Young Filmmakers – The Future is Now', so this year a new section and award category 'Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film' has been introduced in the festival to encourage young blood. The award constitutes of a certificate and cash prize of ₹5 lakh in recognition of young directorial talent from India.[1] The festival will screen over 180 international films from 81 countries, including 15 world premieres.[2]
 Official poster | |
| Opening film | Better Man by Michael Gracey |
|---|---|
| Closing film | Dry Season by Bohdan Sláma |
| Location | Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Panaji, Goa, India |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Awards |
|
| Hosted by | |
| No. of films | 180 |
| Festival date | Opening: 20 November 2024 Closing: 28 November 2024 |
| Website | iffigoa |
On 11 November it was announced that Ashutosh Gowariker an Indian filmmaker will serve as the chairperson of the international jury, and Phillip Noyce, an Australian film and television director is the recipient of Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award. Better Man by Michael Gracey, an Australian film on the life of the British pop star Robbie Williams, will open the festival.[3]
Australia was designated as the 'Country of Focus' at the festival, with seven Australian films set to be screened, highlighting the country's rich storytelling traditions, including indigenous and contemporary narratives.[4] The festival is honoring the 100th anniversary of four legendary figures in Indian cinema, actor–director Raj Kapoor, filmmaker Tapan Sinha, Telugu star Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and singer Mohammed Rafi, through a dedicated tribute program.[5]
Overview
editOn 6 September 2024, The National Film Development Corporation of India under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), organised a Roadshow to kick off the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India. The Roadshow was held at the NFDC Premises on Pedder Road, Mumbai.[6] On October 25, the films selected for the Indian Panorama section, along with the juries for the feature and non-feature categories, were announced. A Hindi–language biographical film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, will open the Panorama section.[7]
The festival is celebrating the centenary of four icons of Indian cinema—actor-director Raj Kapoor, filmmaker Tapan Sinha, Telugu star Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and singer Mohammed Rafi with a special tribute program. In its 55th edition, the festival will showcase restored classics from these legends, including Kapoor’s 1951 crime drama film Awaara, Sinha’s 1976 film Harmonium, Akkineni’s 1953 film Devadasu, and 1961 film Hum Dono, highlighting Rafi’s memorable vocals.[8] The curtain raiser press conference was held on 11 November, attended by union minister of state for Information & Broadcasting, festival director Shekhar Kapur, Central Board of Film Certification chairman, and other senior ministry officials. It was revealed that the 'International Competition' section has 15 feature films, which will compete for the coveted Golden Peacock and ₹40 lakhs. Whereas 'Best Feature Film Debut Director' section has five International plus two Indian Films, which will compete for the Silver Peacock, ₹10 lakh and a certificate. 'IFFIesta’ an entertainment zone, where films, music, and culture converge to enhance youth participation and engagement at the festival will be set up.[2]
Events
edit- Master classes
- Anupam Kher 23 November 2024
- Shabana Azmi 25th November 2024
- John Seale 25th November 2024
- Phillip Noyce 25th November 2024
- Senthil Kumar 26 November 2024
- Chris Kirschbaum, Senior Animator for Avengers: Infinity War, 26 November 2024
- In conversation:
- Mani Ratnam 22 November 2024
- Panel Discussions:
- Women Safety and Cinema 21 November 2024
- Panelists
- Imtiaz Ali, Suhasini Maniratnam and Kushboo Sundar, and moderated by Vani Tripathi Tikoo
- Centenary Special – Celebrating the Life and Works of Raj Kapoor 24th November 2024
- Panelists
- Ranbir Kapoor and Rahul Rawail
- Centenary Session – The Spectrum and the Soul Tapan Sinha 27 November 2024
- Panelists
- Arjun Chakraborty, Manu Chakraborty and Ratnottama Sengupta
Jury
editInternational Jury
edit
In addition to the Golden Peacock for best film, the Jury decides the winners in the Best Director, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female) and Special Jury Prize categories. The following are the members of the International Jury:[9]
- Ashutosh Gowariker, Indian filmmaker, Chairperson
- Anthony Chen, Singaporean writer-director
- Elizabeth Karlsen, American–British film producer
- Fran Borgia, Spanish producer
- Jill Bilcock, Australian editor
Feature film jury
edit.jpg)
The Feature Film Jury is headed by Film Director, Actor and Screenwriter Chandra Prakash Dwivedi. The Feature Jury constituted of twelve Members collectively representing the diverse Indian film fraternity.[10]
- Manoj Joshi, Indian film, stage and television actor
- Susmita Mukherjee, Actor
- Himansu Sekhar Khatua, Film Director
- Oinam Gautam Singh, Film Director
- Ashuu Trikha, Film Director
- S.M. Patil, Film Director and Writer
- Neelaabh Kaul, Cinematographer and Film Director
- Susant Misra, Film Director
- Arun Kumar Bose, Ex HOD of Prasad Institute and Sound Engineer
- Ratnottama Sengupta, Writer and Editor
- Sameer Hanchate, Film Director
- Priya Krishnaswamy, Film Director
Non-feature film jury
editThe Jury headed by Documentary and Wildlife film director Subbiah Nallamuthu, has following six member:
- Rajnikant Acharya, Producer and Film Director
- Ronel Haobam, Film Director
- Usha Deshpande, Film Director and Producer
- Vandana Kohli, Film Director and Writer
- Mithunchandra Chaudhari, Film Director
- Shalini Shah, filmmaker
ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal jury
edit- Isabelle Danel, France, Honorary President of FIPRESCI - International Federation of Film Critics
- Serge Michel, Vice President of CICT-ICFT
- Maria Cristina Iglesias, former head of UNESCO’s Cultural Sector Programme
- Ahmed Bedjaoui, Artistic Director of the Algiers International Film Festival
- Xueyan Hun, Platform for Creativity and Innovation, CICT-ICFT youth branch
75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow
editGrand Jury
edit- A. Sreekar Prasad, Editor
- Deepak Singh, director
- Charuvi Agrawal, Indian painter, sculptor, animator, visual and installation artist
- Shankar Mahadevan, composer
- Samrat Chakraborty, Writing
- Ravi Varman, cinematographer
- Mona Shetty, Voice over
- Shreya Ghoshal, Playback Singer
- Sreelekha Mukherjee, Actor
- Sheetal Sharma, costume designer
Official selection
edit- Sections
- International competition
- Best Debut Feature Film of a Director
- Indian Panorama
- Feature films
- Mainstream Cinema Section
- Non-feature films
- Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film
- ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal
- Best Web Series OTT Award
- From The Festivals – 2024
- Docu–Montage
- Experimental Films – 2024
- Macabre Dreams
- Accolades – 2024
- Cinema of the World
Opening and closing films
editSource:[11]
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening films | ||||
| 2024 | Better Man | Michael Gracey | Australia, United States | |
| Closing film | ||||
| 2024 | Dry Season | Sucho | Bohdan Sláma | Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia |
International competition
edit15 international and Indian fiction feature films will compete for the Golden Peacock Award.[12]
- Highlighted title indicates award winner
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fear and Trembling | Manijeh Hekmat and Faeze Azizkhani | Iran | |
| Gulizar | Belkis Bayrak | Turkey | |
| Holy Cow | Vingt Dieux | Louise Courvoisier | France |
| I Am Nevenka | Icíar Bollaín | Spain | |
| Panopticon | George Sikharulidze | Georgia, France, Italy, Romania | |
| Pierce | Cì xīn qiè gŭ | Nelicia Low | Singapore, Taiwan, Poland |
| Red Path | Les Enfants rouges | Lotfi Achour | Tunisia |
| Shepherds | Berger | Sophie Deraspe | Canada, France |
| The New Year That Never Came | Bogdan Mureșanu | Romania | |
| Toxic | Akiplėša | Saulė Bliuvaitė | Lithuania |
| Waves | Vlny | Jiří Mádl | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| Who Do I Belong To | Là d’où l’on vient | Meryam Joobeur | Tunisia, Canada, France, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia |
| The Goat Life | Aadujeevitham | Blessy | India |
| Article 370 | Aditya Suhas Jambhale | India | |
| Raavsaheb | Nikhil Mahajan | India | |
Best Debut Feature Film of a Director
editThis competition category is a platform for upcoming filmmakers from India and abroad and win Silver Peacock. Seven debut films were nominated in this category.[13]
- Highlighted title indicates award winner
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betânia | Marcelo Botta | Brazil | |
| Bound in Heaven | Kun bang shang tian tang | Huo Xin | China |
| Bring Them Down | Christopher Andrews | Ireland, Belgium | |
| Familiar Touch | Sarah Friedland | United States | |
| To a Land Unknown | Mahdi Fleifel | United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine | |
| Gypsy | Shashi Chandrakant Khandare | India | |
| 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu | Nanda Kishore Emani | ||
Best Web Series OTT Award
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scam 2003 | Hansal Mehta | SonyLIV | |
| Jamanapaar | Prashant Bhagia | Amazon Mini TV | |
| Aayali | Muthukumar | Zee5 | |
| Kota Factory | Raghav Subbu | Netflix | |
| Jubilee | Vikramaditya Motwane | Amazon Video | |
| Kohrra | Randeep Jha | Netflix | |
| The Railway Men | Shiv Rawail | Netflix | |
| Kaala Paani | Sameer Saxena | Netflix | |
| Dahaad | Reema Kagti | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Lampan | Nipun Avinash | SonyLIV | |
Indian Panorama
editIn Indian Panorama feature and non-feature films of cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence are selected for the promotion of film art through the non-profit screening of these films under different categories.[10][14]
Feature films
edit| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swatantrya Veer Savarkar | Hindi | Randeep Hooda | Randeep Hooda Films |
| Kerebete | Kannada | Rajguru B | Janamana Cinemas |
| Venkya | Kannada | Sagar Puranik | |
| Juiphool | Assamese | Jadumoni Dutta | |
| Mahavatar Narsimha | Hindi | Ashwin Kumar | |
| Jigarthanda DoubleX | Tamil | Karthik Subbaraj | Stone Bench Creations |
| The Goat Life | Malayalam | Blessy | Visual Romance |
| Article 370 | Hindi | Aditya Suhas Jambhale | B62 Studios, Jio Studios |
| Gypsy | Marathi | Shashi Chandrakant Khandare | |
| Srikanth | Hindi | Tushar Hiranandani | Chalk and Cheese Films |
| Aamar Boss | Bengali | Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Nandita Roy | Windows |
| Bramayugam | Malayalam | Rahul Sadasivan | Night Shift Studios |
| 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu | Telugu | Nanda Kishore Emani | |
| Rador Pakhi | Assamese | Bobby Sarma Baruah | |
| Gharat Ganpati | Marathi | Navjyot Narendra Bandiwadekar | |
| Raavsaaheb | Marathi | Nikhil Mahajan | |
| Level Cross | Malayalam | Arfaz Ayub | |
| Karken | Galo | Nending Loder | |
| Bhootpori | Bengali | Soukarya Ghosal | |
| Onko Ki Kothin | Bengali | Saurav Palodhi |
Mainstream Cinema Section
edit| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karkhanu | Gujarati | Rushabh Thanki | |
| 12th Fail | Hindi | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Vinod Chopra Films |
| Manjummel Boys | Malayalam | Chidambaram S. Poduval | Parava Films |
| Swargarath | Assamese | Rajesh Bhuyan | AM Television |
| Kalki 2898 AD | Telugu | Nag Ashwin | Vyjayanthi Movies |
Non-feature Films
edit20 Non-feature films selected in the 'Indian Panorama' are as follows:
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 6-A Akash Ganga | Hindi | Nirmal Chander |
| Amar Aaj Marega | Hindi | Rajat Kariya |
| Sivandha Mann | Tamil | Infant |
| Amma’s Pride | Tamil | Shiva Krish |
| Bahi – Tracing My Ancestors | Hindi | Rachita Gorowala |
| Ballad of the Mountain | Hindi | Tarun Jain |
| Battoo Ka Bulbula | Hariyanvi | Akshay Bhardwaj |
| Chanchisoa | Garo | Elvachisa Ch Sangma, Dipankar Das |
| Flanders Di Zameen Vich | Punjabi | Sachin |
| Ghar Jaisa Kuch | Ladakhi | Harsh Sangani |
| Ghode Ki Sawari | Hindi | Debjani Mukherjee |
Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film
editFive Debut Feature Films by Indian Directors will be showcased, that highlight new perspectives, diverse narratives, and innovative cinematic styles from across India.[15]
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Boong | Manipuri | Lakshmipriya Devi |
| Gharat Ganpati | Marathi | Navjyot Bandiwadekar |
| Mikka Bannada Hakki (Bird of a Different Feather | Kannada | Manohara K |
| Razakar (Silent Genocide of Hyderabad) | Telugu | Yata Satyanarayana |
| Thanupp (The Cold) | Malayalam | Ragesh Narayanan |
ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal
editTen films have been shortlisted for the award, each representing different regions, cultures, and genres, yet united by their commitment to Gandhian principles.[16]
- Highlighted title indicates award winner
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Crossing | Geçiş | Levan Akin | Sweden, Denmark, France, Turkey, Georgia |
| 2024 | For Rana | Iman Yazdi | Iran | |
| 2024 | Lesson Learned | Bálint Szimler | Hungary | |
| 2024 | Meeting with Pol Pot | Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot | Rithy Panh | France, Cambodia, Taiwan, Qatar, Turkey |
| 2024 | Satu - Year of the Rabbit | Joshua Trigg | Laos, United Kingdom | |
| 2024 | Transamazonia | Pia Marais | Brazil, France, Germany, Switzerland, Taiwan | |
From The Festivals – 2024
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Dog | 狗陣 | Guan Hu | China |
| The Empire | L'Empire | Bruno Dumont | France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Portugal |
| The End | Joshua Oppenheimer | Denmark, United Kingdom | |
| Flathead | Jaydon Martin | Australia | |
| Grand Tour | Miguel Gomes | Portugal, Italy, France | |
| The Great Yawn of History | Khamyazeye bozorg | Aliyar Rasti | Iran |
| Happy Holidays | ينعاد عليكو | Scandar Copti | Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar |
| Loveable | Elskling | Lilja Ingolfsdottir | Norway |
| Moon | Mond | Kurdwin Ayub | Austria |
| Norah | نورة | Tawfik Alzaidi | Saudi Arabia |
| Pepe | Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias | Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany, France | |
| Phantosmia | Lav Diaz | Philippines | |
| The Second Act | Le Deuxième Acte | Quentin Dupieux | France |
| Steppenwolf | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Kazakhstan | |
| Simon of the Mountain | Simon de la montaña | Federico Luis | Argentina, Chile, Uruguay |
| The Quiet Son | Jouer Avec le Feu | Delphine and Muriel Coulin | France |
Docu–Montage
editThis section comprises documentaries & docu-drama.
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons of Solitude | Tardes de soledad | Albert Serra | Spain, Portugal, France |
| Black Box Diaries | Shiori Itō | Japan, United States, United Kingdom | |
| Cinema Laika | Veljko Vidak | Finland | |
| Dahomey | Mati Diop | France, Senegal, Benin | |
| Gaucho Gaucho | Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw | United States, Argentina | |
| Higher than Acidic Clouds | Balatar az abrhaye asidi | Ali Asgari | Iran |
| Mistress Dispeller | Elizabeth Lo | China, United States | |
| Youth (Hard Times) | Qing Chun (Ku) | Wang Bing | France, Luxembourg, Netherlands |
| Youth (Homecoming) | 青春（归） | Wang Bing | France, Luxembourg, Netherlands |
Experimental Films – 2024
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animalia Paradoxa | Niles Atallah | Chile | |
| Eight Postcards from Utopia | Opt ilustrate din lumea ideală | Radu Jude, Christian Ferencz-Flatz | Romania |
Accolades – 2024
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All We Imagine as Light | Payal Kapadia | France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy | |
| The Room Next Door | La habitación de al lado | Pedro Almodóvar | Spain |
Macabre Dreams
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frewaka | Fréwaka | Aislinn Clarke | Ireland |
Cinema of the World
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Postcard from Rome | Pastkarte no Romas | Elza Gauja | Latvia |
| A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things | Mark Cousins | United Kingdom | |
| Aïcha | Mehdi Barsaoui | Tunisia, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar | |
Restored classics
edit| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Bobo | Narine Mkrtchyan, Arsen Azatian | Armenia |
Country of focus
editAustralia has been nominated as the "Country of Focus" for the festival. A thoughtfully selected lineup of seven Australian films, spanning a variety of genres will be featured in the festival. From acclaimed dramas and impactful documentaries to visually captivating thrillers and uplifting comedies, these films will highlight Australia's unique cultural identity, showcasing a rich array of stories from both indigenous and modern communities.[17]
| Title | Original Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Addition | Marcelle Lunam | |
| Force of Nature: The Dry 2 | Robert Connolly | |
Awards and winners
edit| Image | Recipient | Country | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Phillip Noyce | Australia | [9] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Iffi institutes new award for debut Indian film directors". The Times of India. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ a b ""Lights, Camera, Goa! Dive into IFFI 2024"". PIB. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via press release.
- ^ "IFFI 2024: 'Better Man' to open gala, Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award to filmmaker Phillip Noyce". Hindustan Times. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Australia named Country of Focus for 55th International Film Festival of India". Hindustan Times. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "IFFI to celebrate the Centenary of Four Icons of Indian Cinema". PIB. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024 – via press release.
- ^ "NFDC Kicks Off Roadshow for 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)". PIB. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024 – via press release.
- ^ "Swatantrya Veer Savarkar To Open Indian Panorama At 55th International Film Festival Of India". News 18. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ Naman Ramachandran (4 November 2024). "Indian Film Icons Raj Kapoor, ANR, Mohammed Rafi, Tapan Sinha to Get Centenary Tribute at IFFI". Variety. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ a b Naman Ramachandran (11 November 2024). "Robbie Williams Film 'Better Man' to Open India's IFFI Fest, Phillip Noyce Set for Lifetime Honor". Variety. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ a b "55th IFFI: Indian Panorama announces List of Films to be screened". Press Information Bureau. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024 – via press release.
- ^ Naman Ramachandran (7 November 2023). "'Catching Dust,' 'The Featherweight' to Bookend Goa Film Festival, Michael Douglas to Deliver Masterclass". Variety. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ Shemin Joy (13 November 2024). "15 films including three from India to compete for prestigious Golden Peacock at IFFI 2024 in Goa". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ "Five International and Two Indian Debut Directors to Compete for Silver Peacock at IFFI 2024". Press Information Bureau. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ Sheetal Prashlad (25 October 2024). "55th IFFI: Indian Panorama Announces 25 Feature Films And 20 Non-Feature Films For Screening". News24. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ "IFFI 2024 announces Official Selection for 'Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film' Category". Press Information Bureau. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024 – via press release.
- ^ "Reliving Mahatma Gandhi's Message of peace and non-violence : Ten Films to compete for the prestigious ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at 55th IFFI". Press Information Bureau. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024 – via press release.
- ^ "Australia to be the "Country of Focus" at the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India". Press Information Bureau. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024 – via press release.
External links
edit