54th International Film Festival of India to Begin on November 20 in Goa

The 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will begin on November 20 and run through November 28 in Goa. The announcement was made on Monday by Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur. The film "Catching Dust" is British.

The minister stated at the IFFI curtain raiser press conference here that the Turkish film "About Dry Grasses" will be the midfest film and the American film "The Featherweight" will be the closing title.

India is acknowledged as the world's largest producer of films, according to Thakur.

"India has become a significant force in the film industry. The media and entertainment sector in India is a powerful force to be reckoned with; it currently ranks as the fifth largest market growth and continues to expand annually.

"Over the past three years, it has grown at a rate of 20% per year. As a shining example of innovation and creativity, our sector covers the entire nation and is currently expanding to include every corner of the globe. The minister told reporters, "If your content has power, it can become from regional to national to international very quickly."

This year, a web series will receive an award for "artistic merit, storytelling excellence, technical prowess, and overall impact" in the film extravaganza, according to a ministry announcement.

According to Thakur, the nation has seen a rise in the number of OTT platforms as well as in the creation of domestic content.

"In India, content that takes thousands of hours to produce is being produced, which creates jobs. There is entertainment value to this content as well. We have introduced the best web series OTT award in response to the dynamic landscape of the entertainment and OTT sector, which is estimated to be worth 28% of global GDP each year," the speaker stated.

According to Thakur, 32 submissions from 15 OTT platforms in 10 different languages have been chosen for the first-ever best web series award. The series that wins will get a certificate and a Rs. 10 lakh cash award.

The Golden Peacock award, which goes to the best film winner and earns them a cash prize of Rs 40 lakh, is being contested by fifteen films.

In addition to receiving the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFI, Hollywood actor Michael Douglas will participate in a masterclass.

Seven films from various languages that have been restored thanks to the combined efforts of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Film Archive of India (NFAI) will also have their world premieres at IFFI.

In honor of veteran actor Dev Anand's centennial, these include the Bengali film "Vidyapati" (1937), the Marathi film "Shyamchi Aai" (1953), the Telugu film "Patala Bhairavi" (1951), the Hindi films "Haqeeqat" (1964) and "Guide" (1965), the Bengali film "Chorus" (1974), and the Hindi film "Bees Saal Baad" (1962).

The segment also includes three international restorations.

A total of 20 films from 11 countries have been selected for the 17th edition of the Film Bazaar, the co-production market event held on the sidelines of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). From November 20 to 24, the conclave will be held at the Marriott Resort in Goa.

A dedicated VFX & Tech Pavilion will be established at the Film Bazaar to support the developing visual effects sector in Indian cinema. Here, exhibitors will present the newest innovations in technology and assist filmmakers in realizing their narrative potential.

To guarantee "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Manoranjan" and to make the festival inclusive and accessible for all, a special section has been created.

The movies "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai" and "Shershaah" will be made accessible with embedded audio descriptions for those who are blind or visually impaired. There will be sign language included in the films "83" and "Bhaag Mikha Bhaag" for those who are hard of hearing.

There will be the option for multiple language dubbings, including for certain Indian Panorama Films.

This year will mark the third iteration of 75 Creative Minds, a program designed to recognize, support, and develop young creative talent. There have been about 600 applications in ten different categories.

According to Thakur, the ministry has designated nodal officers to stop movie piracy online in accordance with the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023.

"These nodal officers will work at the regional centers, the ministry, and the Central Board for Film Certification. The Indian film industry has the support of the government of India in its battle against piracy.

"We are headed toward making India the 'vishwaguru' of entertainment and film industries. India has the chance to forge a new identity for itself at the 54th IFFI, as well as for the rest of the world," he continued.

When inquired about the ministry's desire to move the festival from Goa to another state, such as Tamil Nadu, Thakur replied that they would "look into" it should the state government express interest in doing so in the future.

Prithul Kumar, joint secretary (films), I&B ministry, and director of the IFFI festival, Neerja Sekhar, additional secretary, I&B ministry, and Manish Desai, principal director general of Press Information Bureau (PIB) were also present. L Murugan, Union Minister of State for I&B, was also present.

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