The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open with Gabriel Mascaro's 'The Blue Trail,' the Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2025 Berlinale, and close with Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's 'A Useful Ghost.' The festival, running November 20-28 in Goa, features a record 2,314 submissions from 127 countries and spotlights emerging directors through a new competitive section. Indian Panorama opens with Sivakarthikeyan's 'Amaran,' highlighting diverse regional cinema.
Opening and Closing Films
Gabriel Mascaro’s Brazilian feature 'The Blue Trail' will open IFFI 2025, following a 75-year-old woman's journey through the Amazon as a manifesto on freedom and dignity. The festival closes with Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s 'A Useful Ghost,' which won the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize. These selections underscore IFFI's focus on acclaimed international cinema.
Debut Director Competition
A new Best Debut Feature Film of a Director Award spotlights seven first-time filmmakers, with the winner receiving the Silver Peacock trophy and INR10 lakh ($11,270). Entries include Tribeni Rai’s Nepali-language 'Shape of Momo,' set in Sikkim and challenging patriarchal traditions; Gemma Blasco’s Spanish 'Fury,' exploring sexual violence aftermath; and Christina Tournatzés’ German 'Karla,' a true story of abuse. The jury, led by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, also features Graeme Clifford, Katharina Schüttler, Chandran Rutnam, and Remi Adefarasin.
Indian Panorama Lineup
The Indian Panorama opens with Rajkumar Periyasamy’s Tamil war drama 'Amaran,' starring Sivakarthikeyan, selected from 516 entries. The section includes 25 features across languages like Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, and Assamese, such as 'Sarkeet' and 'The Bengal Files.' Non-feature films open with Kamlesh K. Mishra’s 'Kakori,' chosen from 550 submissions. Five streaming series compete for the Best Web-Series Award, including Prime Video’s 'Paatal Lok' Season 2.
Festival Highlights
IFFI 2025 screens over 240 films from 81 countries, including 160 international titles and 21 Oscar-nominated works. Japan is the country focus, with Spain as partner country and Australia in the spotlight. Masterclasses feature Aamir Khan, Anupam Kher, and others. The concurrent Waves Film Bazaar presents 300 projects. Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and L. Murugan emphasized inclusivity and innovation.