54th IFFI: Three times more film entries than previous editions
The 54th International Film Festival of India has received over three times more film entries than previous editions which will give moviegoers the ultimate cinema experience.
This was revealed by IFFI Festival Director Prithul Kumar as the countdown to the opening of the annual movie extravaganza on Monday, November 20, 2023, has begun.
At the curtain raiser press conference held in Panjim, Kumar informed that this year IFFI Kaleidoscope will showcase approximately 19 acclaimed films that have been shown at renowned international film festivals worldwide.
“Out of the 198 films to be screened at IFFI, 13 will have their world premiere, 18 will have their international premiere, 62 will have their Asia premiere and 89 will have their India premiere,” added Kumar.
This year, IFFI received 2,926 entries from 105 countries, three times more international submissions than last year.
REGISTRATIONS SO FAR
While the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan had announced that this year’s IFFI edition would have a record number of delegate registrations, the CEO of Entertainment Society of Goa, Ankita Mishra informed that, so far only around 6,452 entries have been received and the registrations are open until the last day.
OPENING CEREMONY
On the sidelines of the press conference, Kumar said that the opening ceremony of IFFI 2023 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Bambolim will feature performances by Bollywood stars such as Madhuri Dixit, Shriya Saran, Shahid Kapoor and other prominent actors. “The focus of the opening ceremony will be more on entertainment and less on official aspects,” he added.
FREE FOR THE PUBLIC
CINE-MELA
To provide entertainment for delegates and the locals, ‘Cine-Mela’ will be held along the Yog Setu starting from November 21, 2023, to November 28, 2023. The Yog Setu on the Mandovi promenade will showcase various exhibitions featuring filmmaking and film arts, food stalls and music performances.
OPEN AIR SCREENING
The public can also watch films for free at three venues at Miramar beach, GTDC parking in Anjuna and Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
SHUTTLE SERVICES
Kadamba buses and rickshaws will be readily available at the venues, making them easily accessible to delegates and attendees alike.
OPENING, MID AND CLOSING FILMS
The opening film of the 54th IFFI is Catching Dust, directed by Stuart Gatt. The mid-fest film is About Dry Grasses, and the festival will conclude with The Featherweight, directed by Robert Kolodny.
MASTERCLASS AND MORE
Eminent filmmakers, cinematographers, and actors like Michael Douglas, Brendan Galvin, Brillante Mendoza, Sunny Deol, Rani Mukerjee, Vidya Balan, John Goldwater, Vijay Sethupathi, Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kaykay Menon, Karan Johar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Kartiki Gonsalves, Boney Kapoor, Allu Aravind, Theodore Gluck and Gulshan Grover will impart their knowledge and expertise through masterclasses at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
In a significant move to recognise upcoming content creators, this year IFFI has introduced the Best Web Series (OTT) Award.
To celebrate India's Oscar entry, IFFI will feature a special docu-montage section showcasing documentaries from around the world.
A ‘Talent Camp’ as part of 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow (CMOT) will also be held in order to recruit candidates.
To ensure accessibility for specially-abled delegates, the festival venues will be equipped with ramps, designated accessible seating areas and adequate signage to facilitate seamless movement.