Goa has been successfully playing host to the International Film Festival of India since 2004. At the 55th edition of IFFI, the festival promises to bigger and better with more focus on the young generation. As the opening of one of the biggest events of the year in Goa, the 55th International Film Festival of India, nears closer, everyone working in the film fraternity will be rushing to register for the festival. The first few details are out already and one of the good news for Goa is the selection of ‘Saavat, a Konkani film, directed by Shivam Harmalkar and Santosh Shetkar as the only Goan film selected in the non-feature category under Indian Panorama section.
‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’ will be the opening film of the Indian Panorama section. Directed by Randeep Hooda, the film was released in theatres in March this year in Hindi and Marathi as Hooda plays the titular character in the movie. With dazzling opening and closing ceremonies, exclusive world premieres, specially curated film packages to Indian Panorama, this year’s festival promises an unforgettable celebration of cinema.
Indian Panorama Film
The Indian Panorama Section of 55th International Film Festival will showcase 25 featured films and 20 non-feature films. ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi)’ has been selected as the opening film of Indian Panorama. ‘Ghar Jaisa Kuch (Ladakhi)’, directed by Harsh Sangani will be screened as the opening film for the non-feature film. Some of the noted films in the featured films include ‘Jigarthanda Double X’ and ‘Article 370’. In the non-feature films section, ‘Saavat’ is the only Goan and Konkani film.
Introduction of the Best Indian Debut Director Award
IFFI 2024 will introduce the Best Indian Debut Director Award for the first time to showcase the brilliant works by first-time filmmakers from India. For the first edition of the award, the official selection the five Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Section includes Lakshmipriya Devi for Manipuri film ‘Boong’, Navjyot Bandiwadekar for Marathi film ‘Gharat Ganpati,’ Manohara K for Kannada film, ‘Mikka Bannada Hakki (Bird of a Different Feather)’, Yata Satyanarayana for Telugu film, ‘Razakar (Silent Genocide of Hyderabad)’ and Ragesh Narayanan for the Malayalam film, ‘Thanupp (The Cold)’.
Masterclasses by the legends of cinema
Masterclasses will be held from November 21 to 27 with nearly four sessions in a day at 11 am, 12.30pm, 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm. Throwing light on various sections of the film industry and the minute details that goes into making meaningful global cinema, the sessions will feature some of the greats of the time. The elaborate list includes Imtiaz Ali, Kushboo Sundar, Shekhar Kapur, Manisha Koirala, Rana Daggubati, Nagarjuna, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Mani Ratnam, Anupam Kher, Anton Muller, Ranbir Kapoor, Rahul Rawail, Shabana Azmi, Stephen Woolley, Tapan Sinha and Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman.
Introduction of the Special Goan Section Feature & Non Feature Films
For the first time, a Special Goan Premiere and Non-Premiere Section Feature and Non Feature Films will be introduced for the 55th IFFI. The new segment ‘Goan Director’s Cut’, is aimed at promoting Goan directors during IFFI. This dedicated platform provides an opportunity for Goan directors to showcase their work and celebrates their unique vision and creativity, further enriching the Goan Section of IFFI. This year, the jury has received a total of 25 entries in both the sections.
NFDC’s Film Bazaar
NFDC’s Film Bazaar which will be held from November 20 to 24, has revealed its official selection for the Co-Production Market, showcasing 21 feature films and 8 web series from seven countries. The selection of films showcases the rich varieties of language that include, Hindi, English, Assamese, Tamil, Marwari, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Nepali, Marathi, Pahadi, and Cantonese.