IFFI Goa: The Home For Storytellers Of The World

Bhuvan Lall Dec 01, 2024

Founded in 1952, the International Film Festival of India is one of Asia’s most significant film festivals, serving as a platform for filmmakers worldwide to present their works

Less than six months ago a major announcement in the cinema-related media took the international filmdom by surprise. The International Film Festival of India finally had a new Festival Director. It was the internationally known Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. An inspired choice, Kapur is the only Indian filmmaker to have worked on four continents. His incredible body of work has ranged from arthouse cinema and commercial star-led Hindi films to international cinema and even a multiple Oscar-nominated film – Elizabeth. His stint as an actor in Indian cinema and television, as well as as a host of a TV show, is well known. He was also a jury member at the Festival de Cannes in 2010 and has unmatched experience in the world of cinema.

Founded in 1952, the International Film Festival of India is one of Asia’s most significant film festivals, serving as a platform for filmmakers worldwide to present their works. Held annually in Goa for the past twenty years, IFFI attracts directors, producers, actors, and film enthusiasts to celebrate the finest in world cinema. After floundering for a few years without a full-time festival director, in recent years IFFI has disappointed international filmmakers, the Indian film industry, and film enthusiasts who had loyally supported it for decades. There was little doubt that the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India in Goa was going to be a game-changer under the command of the talented Shekhar Kapur.

Photo Caption: Shekhar Kapur with William Pfieffer Chairman Global Gate, Los Angeles, Hollywood Filmmaker Chuck Russell and Film Producer Ania Russell

And so it was.

The film festival in Goa now in its 20th year was not just another event in the history of Indian cinema but a well-planned and proficiently executed show with all the hallmarks of a global standard festival. The prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema was presented by Dr. Pramod Sawant Chief Minister of Goa to Veteran Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce known for films Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games, and Salt. The international jury was led by Academy Award-nominated and highly respected Indian filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker. It included well-renowned writer, director, and producer from Singapore Anthony Chen, BAFTA award-winning Producer Elizabeth Karlsen, Golden Leopard winning Film Producer Fran Borgia, and Film Editor Jill Bilcock, well known for editing Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge and Elizabeth and Road to Perdition. Hollywood filmmaker Chuck Russell, best known for Hollywood hits such as The Mask and The Scorpion King, conducted a Masterclass on Genre Filmmaking at the Film Bazaar. He also announced his aspiration to work in India and collaborate with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.

Photo Caption: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Dr Pramod Sawant, CM of Goa and William Pfieffer, Chairman Global Gate, Los Angeles

Screening some of the best of world cinema, IFFI presented Holy Cow, Toxic, Waves, Shepherds, Article 370, and Aadujeevitham among many other gems in Goa. The festival also had premieres of Zero Se Restart, The Mehta Boys, Hisaab Barabar, and Jab Khuli Kitaab. In an exclusive event at IFFI, the life and works of Raj Kapoor were celebrated with a tribute by Ranbir Kapoor and director-editor Rahul Rawail. IFFI also paid homage to the legend of Telugu cinema Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) in a session featuring his son Nagarjuna. Sonu Nigam, and Shahid Rafi, took the stage at the centenary session of the famous Indian singer Mohammad Rafi, and in an unforgettable moment sang melodies from Subhash Ghai’s Karz to the delight of the audience. Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman was also in Goa and in a conversation with noted writer and journalist Naman Ramachandran, inspired the youth. The famous names of Indian cinema were at hand to present films and conduct masterclasses, workshops, and panels at IFFI Goa including Mani Ratnam, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Nikhil Advani, Boman Irani, Niel Nitin Mukesh, Vani Tripathi, and Bobby Bedi among others. Another attraction was the presence of Ramesh Sippy in Goa whose magnum opus Sholay will complete 50 years in 2025 and will be the highlight of the festival next year. One of the most successful Indian filmmakers and living legend, Subhash Ghai, was in Goa to screen his short film on Mahatma Gandhi as well as present his classic film Taal to international delegates. Taal was the first Indian film to break into Variety's Top 20 in the USA in 1997 and Ghai revealed that he had convinced A. R. Rahman to compose music by telling him, “I want to make this musical film and that means you are the hero of my film”. Noted Singer Kavita Krishnamurthy who sang the superhit songs of the film recalled, “I tried to sing in a way which will appeal not only to Indian listeners but to listeners across the globe,”. Later that day, the Honorable Governor of Bengal, Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, along with actor R Madhavan launched Ghai’s book Karma Child at an extraordinary event that brought together the first five batches of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

Earlier on the first day of the festival, the Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant launched ‘WAVES’ Over-The-Top (OTT), platform of the national public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati. The Film Bazaar 2025 by Jio Studios & YouTube buzzed like never before with record participation and packed panel discussions about the business of cinema and content creation. One of the highlights of the Film Bazaar was an informative Knowledge Series session on Sales vs Distribution with William Pfeiffer, Chairman, Global Gate, Los Angeles, Shiladitya Bora, Dennis Ruh, and Arnaud Godart that was competently moderated by Cary Sawhney. Another interesting panel was on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Entertainment Industry where Sudipta Bhattacharya, the CTO of Adani Group spoke with film producer Mahaveer Jain. Australia was the country of focus at IFFI and there was a sizeable Australian participation with a strong delegation from Screen Australia, State Screen Commissions, and also Ausfilm, the agency promoting Australia as a filming destination. The Confederation of Indian Industry and Indian Motion Picture Producers Association hosted memorable events at a yacht moored on the river Mandovi. Screen Australia, Bhutan, UAE, and Saudi Film exhibited at the Film Bazaar for the first time and numerous Indian states showcasing the stunning landscapes of India as film locations for global filmmakers.

Photo Caption: Sanjay Jaju, Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

The 55th IFFI was an exhilarating celebration of global cinema, bringing together a diverse mix of films from all corners of the globe, thought-panel discussions, engaging masterclasses, and exclusive screenings. After nine days of cinematic celebration, with over 45,000 film enthusiasts and professionals in Goa, the festival concluded with an awesome stage performance of Indian music and dance performances on the closing night. The tireless work of a crew of hundreds representing the National Film Development Corporation, Doordarshan, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Government of Goa was evident at the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of Goa 2024. IFFI Artistic Director Pankaj Saxena, NFDC Managing Director Pritul Kumar, and Jerome Paillard the newly appointed advisor for Film Bazaar optimized the festival goers' experience and left no stone unturned in making the IFFI Goa 2024 and Film Bazaar a huge success.

IFFI’s mission of fostering cultural exchange and promoting cinematic art that transcends borders is not just an annual event in Goa but a yearlong activity worldwide. This year Festival Director Kapur has successfully immersed youthful Indian filmdom into the magic of world cinema at IFFI Goa and helped fuel the passion of budding filmmakers to carve a niche for Indian cinema globally. The world's largest film and content production industry now deserves the greatest cinematic arts festival in Goa. As Kapur rightly said, “In a highly polarized world… we need to tell our stories to each other…” Goa is ideally placed to be the home for the storytellers of the world.