Star-studded performances mark opening, closing ceremonies at IFFI
New Delhi: The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which came to a close on November 28 at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa, saw a participation of 11,332 delegates, marking a 12 percent increase compared to IFFI 2023. Delegates hailed from 34 states and Union Territories across India, alongside international participants from 28 countries.
In the Film Bazaar segment, the number of delegates surged to 1,876, a significant increase from 775 last year. Foreign delegates represented 42 countries. The business projections in the Film Bazaar this year exceeded Rs 500 crores. Similarly, the Tech Pavilion featuring 15 industry partners also was an interesting component for the participating delegates. Rs 15.36 crore worth of sponsorship were achieved from industry partners.
The opening and closing ceremonies featured star-studded appearances and performances, celebrating both Indian and international cinema.
The opening ceremony paid tribute to the centenary celebrations and the rich diversity of Indian cinema while the closing ceremony featured music and dance, besides honouring exceptional achievements with awards, including the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Philip Noyce and the Indian Film Personality of the Year Award to Vikrant Massey.
The international cinema at IFFI was a curated selection of 189 films, handpicked from over 1,800 submissions. The lineup included 16 world premieres, 3 international premieres, 44 Asia premieres, and 109 Indian premieres.
Films from 81 countries graced the screens, showcasing a diverse range of cultures, voices, and visions.
Meanwhile, the competitive sections were equally exciting, with 15 films competing for the prestigious International Competition Award, 10 in the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal section, and 7 in the Best Debut Feature Film by a Director category, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) said in a statement.
The country focus on Australia added a distinctive flair to the lineup, showcasing the best of Australian cinema in collaboration with the treaty with Screen Australia.
The festival opened with the screening of Australian film Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey.
Amongst the completion films, Ltihuanian film ‘Toxic’ won the Golden Peacock of Best Film and Ronanian Film ‘A New year that never came’ won the silver peacock for Best Director.
Over 100 red carpet events from the International Section, Indian Panorama, Goan Section, and Beyond Indian Panorama were showcased at the INOX Panjim venue.
This year, a selection of 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films, distinguished by their cinematic excellence, has been chosen to be part of Indian Panorama 2024, the ministry added.
