The 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is kicking off today in Goa. Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union minister for information and broadcasting, will inaugurate the festival, marking the beginning with the screening of the British film Catching Dust, centred around a wife striving to break free from her criminal husband.
This edition brings together 19 acclaimed films from diverse international film festivals under the IFFI Kaleidoscope. The international section boasts 198 films, including 13 World Premieres, 18 International Premieres, 62 Asia premieres, and 89 India Premieres.
Indian cinema shines in the Indian Panorama section, highlighting 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films, with Aattam from Malayalam cinema and Andro Dreams in Manipuri language as the opening films for their respective categories.
Esteemed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur leads the jury for the 54th IFFI, joined by a five-member panel including Spanish cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine and producers Jerome Paillard, Catherine Dussart, and Helen Leake.
A notable addition this year is the introduction of the Best Web Series (OTT) category, overseen by filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and a five-member jury.
The festival’s spotlight shines on Hollywood legend Michael Douglas, set to receive the prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring his illustrious career adorned with 2 Oscars, 5 Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy Award, and numerous other accolades.
The grand opening ceremony promises performances by Bollywood stars like Shahid Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Nushratt Bharucha, and an array of luminaries including Catherine Zeta-Jones, AR Rahman, Vidya Balan, Karan Johar, and Sara Ali Khan. The event culminates on November 28 with a closing ceremony featuring performances by Ayushmann Khurrana and musician Amit Trivedi.