New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28 and feature over 240 films from 81 countries, including 13 world premieres, five international premieres and 44 Asian premieres, officials said on Friday. Japan has been named the ‘Country of Focus’ for 2025 and six curated titles, representing the nation’s evolving cinematic language, will be screened at the festival, which will run in Panaji, Goa, from November 20 to 28.
Spain will serve as the ‘Partner Country’, while Australia will be the ‘Spotlight Country’.
The festival will host three international competitions featuring 32 films from five continents, along with top award-winning titles from world’s major film festivals such as South Korean drama “No Other Choice”, Cannes Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just An Accident”, “Father Mother Sister Brother”, the Golden Lion winner at Venice, “The Message”, which won the Silver Bear at Berlin festival and “Sentimental Value” by acclaimed filmmaker Joachim Trier.
This year’s festival received a record 2,314 submissions from 127 countries, including 1098 entries from 18 different languages from India.
“IFFI 2025 marks a significant chapter as it embraces inclusivity and diversity, showcasing voices from all corners of the world while spotlighting Indian regional cinema’s rich tapestry. By introducing programmes focused on emerging filmmakers and digital storytelling, IFFI is nurturing platforms that champion new talent and celebrate the evolution of filmmaking in the digital age,” information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement.
I&B secretary Sanjay Jaju said that the opening ceremony on 20th of this month will be marked by a carnival and parade, celebrating the cinematic journey of the country.
“The parade will add carnival spirit to this entire festival. And this is going to be absolutely new because a large number of production houses and multiple states are going to be participating in this parade. You will have cultural troops flying in from all parts of our country, becoming part of this parade. And all these people have one message — cinema, cinema, cinema,” he said.
Festival director Shekhar Kapur said the previous edition received a footfall of 20,000 participants and they intend to take the number to one lakh in the next four years.
The opening film of IFFI 2025 is Brazilian auteur Gabriel Mascaro’s “The Blue Trail”, a sci-fi and fantasy feature following a 75-year-old woman’s defiant voyage through the Amazon. The film, a quiet manifesto on freedom and dignity, won the Silver Bear – Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. The Gala Premieres segment will feature 18 titles, including 13 world premieres, two Asia premieres, one India premiere, and two special showcase screenings.
Over 160 films will screen in the International Section, including 13 world premieres and 80 award-winning festival titles, as well as 21 Oscar-nominated films. The jury for international competition is headed by filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
The festival’s nine curated sections include Docu-Montage, From the Festivals, Rising Stars, Mission Life, Experimental Films, Restored Classics, Macabre Dreams, UNICEF and Cinema of the World. The Indian Panorama section will feature 25 feature films, 20 non-feature films and 5 debut features.
Tamil film “Amaran”, directed by Rajkumar Periyasamy and starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, will open the feature category, while “Kakori” will open the non-feature section.
The feature film jury is headed by actor Raja Bundela, while Dharam Gulati leads the jury for non-feature category.
The film gala will feature an extensive slate of 21 masterclasses and panel discussions across 10 formats at Kala Academy, bringing together some of the most prominent names in Indian and international cinema.
Participants include Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anupam Kher, Aamir Khan, Bobby Deol, Ravi Varman, Kushboo Sundar, Suhasini Maniratnam, Christopher Charles Corbould, Pete Draper and Sreekar Prasad.
Sessions will cover topics such as editing and acting in the digital era, theatre and sustainability, as well as AI and VFX technologies. Panels will explore cinema’s role in promoting peace and the challenges of modern filmmaking, while “In Conversation” sessions will host leading artists and technicians.
IFFI 2025 will celebrate centenaries of cinematic legends Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika and Salil Chowdhury by showcasing restored classics of their work.
Besides, the film will also mark 50 years of Rajinikanth and 125 years of V Shantaram through a special screening of the director’s acclaimed 1946 movie “Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani”.
The organisers are also launching AI Film Festival and Cinema AI Hackathon, which will present AI-generated films across fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental genres.
The 48-hour Cinema AI Hackathon will challenge developers and storytellers to design innovative AI-powered cinematic tools.
The Waves Film Bazaar, in its 19th edition, will feature over 300 film projects across Screenwriters Lab, Market Screenings, Viewing Room Library and Co-Production Market.
The co-production market will showcase 22 feature films and 5 documentaries, with total cash grants of USD 20,000 to three winning projects.
The 2025 edition of the International Film Festival of India will run from november 20 to 28. PTI RB RB RB
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