It's time to see stories unfolding on the big screen bringing ideas and narratives to life. It's time to live and breathe cinema as this year's International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa starts rolling the reels from November 20, 2023 to November 28, 2023. So make your filmy memories last forever and know where all you can go scouting for the best cinematic experience.
VENUES FOR FILMS
IFFI is all set to deliver some masterpieces beyond your cinematic imagination, so knowing the venues where your favourite actors will be seen in action is important. INOX Panjim, Maquinez Palace, INOX Porvorim and Z Square Samrat Ashok are some of the venues where over 270 films will be screened.
NO SCREENINGS AT KALA ACADEMY
The renovated Kala Academy is finally set to be a part of IFFI, but sadly at this edition it will not be the venue for film screenings. The venue will only be used for Masterclasses and interactions, said Vice Chairperson Entertainment Society of Goa, Delilah Lobo on Thursday, November 9.
KA, which is Goa's cultural hub is finally reopening on November 10, 2023 (Friday) after the work of renovation dragged on since 2021 and was not without controversy. The open air auditorium, the slab of which collapsed in July this year, will not open so soon.
MASTERCLASS & IN-CONVERSATIONS
From Hollywood’s famed Michael Douglas to Bollywood stars like Sara Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan, Sunny Deol, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Boney Kapoor, Madhur Bhandarkar along with eminent filmmakers, cinematographers, and actors, like Brendan Galvin, Brillante Mendoza, John Goldwater, Vijay Sethupathi, Kay Kay Menon, Manoj Bajpayee, Kartiki Gonsalves, Allu Aravind, Theodore Gluck and Gulshan Grover are some of the personalities who will deliver masterclass and in-conversation session at this year’s IFFI in Goa.
PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS
Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award (SRLTA) will be bestowed upon Hollywood actor and producer, Michael Douglas, for his contribution to world cinema.
OPENING, MID AND CLOSING FILMS
This year, the opening film will be Catching Dust, a drama thriller directed by award-winning British filmmaker, Stuart Gatt. About Dry Grasses, directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, will be the mid-fest film and the closing film is The Featherweight, a biopic directed by American director Robert Kolodny.
RESTORTED INDIAN CLASSICS
Filmmakers can also look out for restored Indian classics, the celluloid reels of which were damaged but are now restored the the National Film Development Corporation.
Some of these restored classics include Vidyapati (1937) directed by Debaki Bose; Shyamchi Aai (1953) directed by PK Atre; Pathala Bhairavi (1951) directed by K V Reddy; Guide (1965), directed by Vijay Anand; Haqeeqat (1964) directed by Chetan Anand; Chorus (1974) directed by Mrinal Sen and Bees Saal Baad (1962) directed by Biren Nag.
Three international restored films will also be showcased in this section including The Exorcist Extended Director’s cut from Venice and Sergei Parajanov’s Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors.
EASE OF TRANSPORT
So, don't get left behind to catch your favourite movie rolling. And to ensure you reach your film screenings on time, and also comfortably, Vice Chairperson of the Entertainment Society of Goa, Deliah Lobo, has assured that there will be more shuttle services and rickshaw to drop and pick delegates and guests from various venues – Kala Academy, Samrat Theatre, Inox and Ashok Theatre.
