The 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), a globally renowned cinematic event, is set to kick off in Goa on November 20, showcasing a lineup of over 270 films spanning ten days. Anurag Thakur, the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, disclosed the festival’s schedule during a curtain raiser event held in the national capital.
Thakur praised the Indian film industry, highlighting its global reach and burgeoning growth, which has positioned India as the fifth-largest entertainment market with a consistent annual growth rate of 20% over the last three years. The festival will begin with a screening of the UK thriller ‘Catching Dust’ and end with a screening of the American biographical sports drama ‘The Featherweight in 2023.
Highlighting the festival’s importance, Thakur announced that acclaimed Hollywood actor and producer Michael Douglas will be honored with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Excellence in Film Lifetime Award. The festival received an impressive 2926 entries from 105 countries, indicating a significant spike in international submissions, particularly in the International Section, which includes premieres from across the globe.
Moreover, Thakur introduced the OTT Awards to acknowledge outstanding content creators in the booming Indian OTT industry, reflecting the sector’s 28% annual growth. The festival will prioritize inclusivity, providing facilities and access for the specially-abled across all venues, catering to various needs such as audio descriptions, sign language, and dubbed content in multiple languages.
The Indian Panorama segment will feature 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films from India, showcasing a diverse selection capturing modern Indian values, chosen from a pool of 239 modern Indian non-feature films.
The festival will also present prestigious awards such as the Golden Peacock and Silver Peacock for Best Film and Best Feature Film – Debut Director, respectively, along with awards for Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
In addition, the IFFI Kaleidoscope will exhibit 19 award-winning films from renowned international film festivals, while the ‘Cinema of the World’ section will present a staggering array of 103 films from diverse global cinemas.