| 55th International Film Festival of India | |
| Opening: | Better Man by Michael Gracey |
| Closing: | Dry Season by Bohdan Sláma |
| Location: | Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Panaji, Goa, India |
| Founded: | 1952 |
| Number: | 180 |
| Date: | Opening: Closing: |
| Previous: | 54th |
| Main: | International Film Festival of India |
| Next: | 56th |
The 55th International Film Festival of India took place from 20 to 28 November, 2024 at Panaji, Goa. The theme of this year's festival is 'Young Filmmakers – The Future is Now', so this year a new section and award category 'Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film' has been introduced in the festival to encourage young blood. The award constitutes of a certificate and cash prize of lakh in recognition of young directorial talent from India.[1] The festival screened over 180 international films from 81 countries, including 15 world premieres.
On 11 November it was announced that Ashutosh Gowariker an Indian filmmaker served as the chairperson of the international jury, and Phillip Noyce, an Australian film and television director was the recipient of Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award.[2] 15 films competed for Golden Peacock award in main competition.[3] Australia was designated as the 'Country of Focus' at the festival, with seven Australian films screened, highlighting the country's rich storytelling traditions, including indigenous and contemporary narratives.[4] The festival honoured the 100th anniversary of four legendary figures in Indian cinema, actor–director Raj Kapoor, filmmaker Tapan Sinha, Telugu star Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and singer Mohammed Rafi, through a dedicated tribute program.[5]
The festival opened with Australian film on the life of the British pop star Robbie Williams, Better Man by Michael Gracey. Abhishek Banerjee and Bhumi Pednekar hosted the opening ceremony which was telecast live on YouTube.[6]
The festival closed on 28 November with Dry Season by Bohdan Sláma. Lithuanian drama film Toxic by Saulė Bliuvaitė, was awarded the best film award, the Golden Peacock. Romanian director Bogdan Mureșanu was awarded the Best Director award for the Romanian historical tragicomedy film The New Year That Never Came.[7]
On 6 September 2024, The National Film Development Corporation of India under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), organised a Roadshow to kick off the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India. The Roadshow was held at the NFDC Premises on Pedder Road, Mumbai.[8] On October 25, the films selected for the Indian Panorama section, along with the juries for the feature and non-feature categories, were announced. A Hindi–language biographical film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, will open the Panorama section.[9]
The festival is celebrating the centenary of four icons of Indian cinema—actor-director Raj Kapoor, filmmaker Tapan Sinha, Telugu thespian Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and singer Mohammed Rafi with a special tribute program. In its 55th edition, the festival will showcase restored classics from these legends, including Kapoor’s 1951 crime drama film Awaara, Sinha’s 1976 film Harmonium, Akkineni’s 1953 film Devadasu, and 1961 film Hum Dono, highlighting Rafi’s memorable vocals.[10] The curtain raiser press conference was held on 11 November, attended by union minister of state for Information & Broadcasting, festival director Shekhar Kapur, Central Board of Film Certification chairman, and other senior ministry officials. It was revealed that the 'International Competition' section has 15 feature films, which will compete for the coveted Golden Peacock and 40 lakhs. Whereas 'Best Feature Film Debut Director' section has five International plus two Indian Films, which will compete for the Silver Peacock, 10 lakh and a certificate. 'IFFIesta’ an entertainment zone, where films, music, and culture converge to enhance youth participation and engagement at the festival will be set up.[11]
Abhishek Banerjee and Bhumi Pednekar hosted the opening ceremony[12] which was graced with live performances from Ishaan Khatter and Manushi Chhillar. Sanya Malhotra and Sunny Kaushal brought the history of Indian cinema to life through a musical tableau, spanning from 1913 to the present day. This year's Country of Focus, Australia, delighted the audience with mesmerizing dance performances. The centennial celebrations of Indian cinema legends Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and Mohammed Rafi were honored in the presence of their families, with commemorative postage stamps released in their memory.[13]
The festival closed on 28 November with Dry Season, a Czech drama film directed by Bohdan Sláma, which focuses on a conflict between two family clans.[14] The ceremony hosted by Samir Kochhar, and attended by director Ramesh Sippy, actor-producer Nivin Pauly, and actor Pratik Gandhi, featured a performance titled 'Rhythms of India'. This showcase celebrated a rich tapestry of dance forms, including Kathak, Garba, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, Manipuri, and the vibrant Pung Cholam Drummers.[15] It concluded with the Lithuanian film Toxic by Saulė Bliuvaitė winning the Golden Peacock award, while Clément Favreau was honored as Best Actor for his performance in the French film Holy Cow.[16]
In addition to the Golden Peacock for best film, the Jury decides the winners in the Best Director, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female) and Special Jury Prize categories. The following are the members of the International Jury:
The Feature Film Jury is headed by Film Director, Actor and Screenwriter Chandra Prakash Dwivedi. The Feature Jury constituted of twelve Members collectively representing the diverse Indian film fraternity.
The Jury headed by Documentary and Wildlife film director Subbiah Nallamuthu, has following six member:
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening films | ||||
| 2024 | Better Man | Michael Gracey | Australia, United States | |
| Indian Panorama feature film | ||||
| 2024 | Swatantrya Veer Savarkar | Randeep Hooda | India | |
| Indian Panorama non-feature film | ||||
| 2024 | Ghar Jaisa Kuch | Harsh Sangani | India | |
| Closing film | ||||
| 2024 | Dry Season | Sucho | Bohdan Sláma | Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia |
15 international and Indian fiction feature films will compete for the Golden Peacock Award.[18] [19]
Highlighted title indicates award winner| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fear and Trembling | Manijeh Hekmat and Faeze Azizkhani | Iran | |
| Gulizar | Belkis Bayrak | Turkey | |
| Holy Cow | Vingt Dieux | Louise Courvoisier | France |
| I'm Nevenka | Soy Nevenka | Icíar Bollaín | Spain |
| Panopticon | George Sikharulidze | Georgia, France, Italy, Romania | |
| Pierce | Cì xīn qiè gŭ | Nelicia Low | Singapore, Taiwan, Poland |
| Red Path | Les Enfants rouges | Lotfi Achour | Tunisia |
| Shepherds | Berger | Sophie Deraspe | Canada, France |
| The New Year That Never Came | Anul Nou care n-a fost | Bogdan Mureșanu | Romania |
| Toxic | Akiplėša | Saulė Bliuvaitė | Lithuania |
| Waves | Vlny | Jiří Mádl | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| Who Do I Belong To | Là d’où l’on vient | Meryam Joobeur | Tunisia, Canada, France, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia |
| The Goat Life | Aadujeevitham | Blessy | India |
| Article 370 | Aditya Suhas Jambhale | ||
| Raavsaheb | Nikhil Mahajan | ||
This competition category is a platform for upcoming filmmakers from India and abroad and win the Best Debut Director Award. Seven debut films were nominated in this category.[20]
Highlighted title indicates award winner| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betânia | Marcelo Botta | Brazil | |
| Bound in Heaven | Kun bang shang tian tang | Huo Xin | China |
| Bring Them Down | Christopher Andrews | Ireland, Belgium | |
| Familiar Touch | Sarah Friedland | United States | |
| To a Land Unknown | United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine | ||
| Gypsy | Shashi Chandrakant Khandare | India | |
| 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu | Nanda Kishore Emani | ||
This competition category is a platform for upcoming web series makers from India and win the Best Web Series Award.
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scam 2003 | Hansal Mehta | SonyLIV | |
| Jamanapaar | Prashant Bhagia | Amazon miniTV | |
| Ayali | Muthukumar | ZEE5 | |
| Kota Factory | Raghav Subbu | Netflix | |
| Jubilee | Vikramaditya Motwane | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Kohrra | Randeep Jha | Netflix | |
| The Railway Men | Shiv Rawail | ||
| Kaala Paani | Sameer Saxena | ||
| Dahaad | Reema Kagti | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Lampan | Nipun Dharmadhikari | SonyLIV | |
In Indian Panorama feature and non-feature films of cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence are selected for the promotion of film art through the non-profit screening of these films under different categories.[21] [22]
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swatantrya Veer Savarkar | Hindi | Randeep Hooda | Randeep Hooda Films |
| Kerebete | Kannada | Rajguru B | Janamana Cinemas |
| Venkya | Kannada | Sagar Puranik | |
| Juiphool | Assamese | Jadumoni Dutta | |
| Mahavatar Narsimha | Hindi | Ashwin Kumar | |
| Jigarthanda DoubleX | Tamil | Karthik Subbaraj | Stone Bench Creations |
| The Goat Life | Malayalam | Blessy | Visual Romance |
| Article 370 | Hindi | Aditya Suhas Jambhale | B62 Studios, Jio Studios |
| Gypsy | Marathi | Shashi Chandrakant Khandare | |
| Srikanth | Hindi | Tushar Hiranandani | Chalk and Cheese Films |
| Aamar Boss | Bengali | Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Nandita Roy | Windows |
| Bramayugam | Malayalam | Rahul Sadasivan | Night Shift Studios |
| 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu | Telugu | Nanda Kishore Emani | Suresh Productions |
| Rador Pakhi | Assamese | Bobby Sarma Baruah | |
| Gharat Ganpati | Marathi | Navjyot Narendra Bandiwadekar | |
| Raavsaaheb | Marathi | Nikhil Mahajan | |
| Level Cross | Malayalam | Arfaz Ayub | Abhishek Films |
| Karken | Galo | Nending Loder | |
| Bhootpori | Bengali | ||
| Onko Ki Kothin | Bengali | Saurav Palodhi | |
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karkhanu | Gujarati | Rushabh Thanki | |
| 12th Fail | Hindi | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Vinod Chopra Films |
| Manjummel Boys | Malayalam | Chidambaram S. Poduval | Parava Films |
| Swargarath | Assamese | Rajesh Bhuyan | AM Television |
| Kalki 2898 AD | Telugu | Nag Ashwin | Vyjayanthi Movies |
20 Non-feature films selected in the 'Indian Panorama' are as follows:
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 6-A Akash Ganga | Hindi | Nirmal Chander |
| Amar Aaj Marega | Hindi | Rajat Kariya |
| Amma’s Pride | Tamil | Shiva Krish |
| Bahi – Tracing My Ancestors | Hindi | Rachita Gorowala |
| Ballad of the Mountain | Hindi | Tarun Jain |
| Battoo Ka Bulbula | Hariyanvi | Akshay Bhardwaj |
| Chanchisoa | Garo | Elvachisa Ch Sangma, Dipankar Das |
| Flanders Di Zameen Vich | Punjabi | Sachin |
| Ghar Jaisa Kuch | Ladakhi | Harsh Sangani |
| Ghode Ki Sawari | Hindi | Debjani Mukherjee |
| Google Matrimony | English | Abhinav Athrey |
| Main Nida | Hindi | Atul Pandey |
| Mo Bou, Mo Gaan | Oriya | Subash Sahoo |
| Monihara | Bengali | Subhadeep Biswas |
| P for Paparazzi | Hindi | Divya Kharnare |
| Pillars of Progress: The Epic Story of Delhi Metro | English | Satish Pande |
| Praan Pratishtha | Marathi | Pankaj Sonawane |
| Roti Koon Banasi? | Rajasthani | Chandan Singh |
| Saavat | Konkani | Shivam Harmalkar, Santosh Shetkar |
| Sivantha Mann | Tamil | Infant |
Five Debut Feature Films by Indian Directors will be showcased, that highlight new perspectives, diverse narratives, and innovative cinematic styles from across India.[23] This competition category is a platform for upcoming filmmakers from India and win the Best Debut Director Award.[24]
| Title of the Film | Language | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Boong | Manipuri | Lakshmipriya Devi |
| Gharat Ganpati | Marathi | Navjyot Bandiwadekar |
| Mikka Bannada Hakki (Bird of a Different Feather) | Kannada | Manohara K |
| Razakar | Telugu | Yata Satyanarayana |
| Thanupp (The Cold) | Malayalam | Ragesh Narayanan |
Ten films have been shortlisted for the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal, each representing different regions, cultures, and genres, yet united by their commitment to Gandhian principles.[25]
Highlighted title indicates award winner| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing | Geçiş | Levan Akin | Sweden, Denmark, France, Turkey, Georgia |
| For Rana | Iman Yazdi | Iran | |
| Lesson Learned | Bálint Szimler | Hungary | |
| Meeting with Pol Pot | Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot | Rithy Panh | France, Cambodia, Taiwan, Qatar, Turkey |
| Satu - Year of the Rabbit | Joshua Trigg | Laos, United Kingdom | |
| Transamazonia | Pia Marais | Brazil, France, Germany, Switzerland, Taiwan | |
| Unsinkable | Synkefri | Christian Andersen | Denmark |
| Aamar Boss | Nandita Roy, Shiboprosad Mukherjee | India | |
| Juiphool | Jadumoni Dutta | ||
| Srikanth | Tushar Hiranandani | ||
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Dog | 狗陣 | Guan Hu | China |
| The Empire | L'Empire | Bruno Dumont | France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Portugal |
| The End | Denmark, United Kingdom | ||
| Flathead | Jaydon Martin | Australia | |
| Grand Tour | Miguel Gomes | Portugal, Italy, France | |
| The Great Yawn of History | Khamyazeye bozorg | Aliyar Rasti | Iran |
| Happy Holidays | ينعاد عليكو | Scandar Copti | Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar |
| Loveable | Elskling | Lilja Ingolfsdottir | Norway |
| Moon | Mond | Kurdwin Ayub | Austria |
| Norah | نورة | Tawfik Alzaidi | Saudi Arabia |
| Pepe | Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias | Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany, France | |
| Phantosmia | Lav Diaz | Philippines | |
| The Second Act | Le Deuxième Acte | Quentin Dupieux | France |
| Steppenwolf | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Kazakhstan | |
| Simon of the Mountain | Simon de la montaña | Federico Luis | Argentina, Chile, Uruguay |
| The Quiet Son | Jouer Avec le Feu | France | |
This section comprises documentaries & docu-drama.
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons of Solitude | Tardes de soledad | Albert Serra | Spain, Portugal, France |
| Black Box Diaries | Shiori Itō | Japan, United States, United Kingdom | |
| Cinema Laika | Veljko Vidak | Finland | |
| Dahomey | France, Senegal, Benin | ||
| Gaucho Gaucho | Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw | United States, Argentina | |
| Higher than Acidic Clouds | Balatar az abrhaye asidi | Ali Asgari | Iran |
| Mistress Dispeller | China, United States | ||
| Youth (Hard Times) | 青春（苦） | Wang Bing | France, Luxembourg, Netherlands |
| Youth (Homecoming) | 青春（归） | ||
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animalia Paradoxa | Niles Atallah | Chile | |
| Eight Postcards from Utopia | Opt ilustrate din lumea ideală | Radu Jude, Christian Ferencz-Flatz | Romania |
| Godsterminal | Georg Tiller | Sweeden | |
| Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass | Brothers Quay | United Kingdom, Poland, Germany | |
| Telepathic Letters | Cartas Telepáticas | Edgar Pêra | Portugal |
| The Rim | La Parra | Alberto Gracia | Spain |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All We Imagine as Light | Payal Kapadia | France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy | |
| The Room Next Door | La habitación de al lado | Pedro Almodóvar | Spain |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frewaka | Fréwaka | Aislinn Clarke | Ireland |
| Sofia, the Possession | Tu Sangre | Guillermo Barreira | Spain |
| The Wailing | El llanto | Pedro Martín Calero | Spain, France, Argentina |
| Working Class Goes to Hell | Radnička Klasa Ide U Pakao | Mladen Djordjevic | Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Romania |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Postcard from Rome | Pastkarte no Romas | Elza Gauja | Latvia | |
| A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things | Mark Cousins | United Kingdom | ||
| Aïcha | Mehdi Barsaoui | Tunisia, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar | ||
| Algiers | Chakib Taleb-Bendiab | Algeria, Tunisia, France, Canada | ||
| All Shall Be Well | 從今以後 | Ray Yeung | Hong Kong | |
| American Warrior | Gustavo Martin Benites | United States | ||
| Architecton | Victor Kossakovsky | Germany, France, United States | ||
| As the River Goes By | 水东游 | Charles Hu | China | |
| Ayse | Necmi Sancak | Turkey | ||
| Barren | Mansour Vosoughi | Iran | ||
| Bassima's Womb | Le ventre de Bassima | Babek Aliassa | Canada | |
| Bila Burba | Duiren Wagua | Panama | ||
| They Call Me the Panzer | Me dicen el Panzer | Rodrigo Quintero Arauz | Panama | |
| Bassima's Womb | Le ventre de Bassima | Babek Aliassa | Canada | |
| Bitter Gold | Oro Amargo | Juan Olea | Chile, Germany, Mexico, Uruguay | |
| Borrowed Time | Choy Ji | China | ||
| Brief History of a Family | 家庭简史 | Lin Jianjie | China, Denmark | |
| When Santa Was a Communist | Djed Mraz u Bosni | Emir Kapetanovic | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia | |
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Bobo | Narine Mkrtchyan, Arsen Azatian | Armenia | |
| 1971 | Four Nights of a Dreamer | Quatre nuits d'un rêveur | Robert Bresson | France, Italy |
| 1993 | Moving | お引越し | Shinji Sōmai | Japan |
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Through Rocks and Clouds | Raíz | Franco García Becerra | Peru, Chile |
| 2024 | The Rebels | Мятежники | Vladimir Alenikov | Russia |
| 2024 | Clarice's Dream | O Sonho De Clarice | Guto Bicalho, Fernando Gutierrez | Brazil |
| 1956 | Kabuliwala | Tapan Sinha | India | |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crickets, It’s Your Turn | Shegirtkeler, Vash Vyhod | Olga Korotko | France, Kazakhstan |
| Cu Li Never Cries | Cu Li Không Bao Giờ Khóc | Phạm Ngọc Lân | Vietnam, Singapore, France, Philippines, Norway |
| Else | Thibault Emin | France, Belgium | |
| Hunters on a White Field | Jakt På Ett Vitt Fält | Sarah Gyllenstierna | Sweden |
| Hunting Daze | Jour De Chasse | Annick Blanc | Canada |
| Lilies Not for Me | Will Seefried | United States, United Kingdom, France, South Africa | |
| Memories of a Burning Body | Memorias de un cuerpo que arde | Antonella Sudasassi Furniss | Costa Rica, Spain |
| Year | English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Black Butterflies | Mariposas Negras | David Baute | Spain, Panama |
| 2024 | Eastern Anthems | Mariposas Negras | Matthew Wolkow, Jean-Jacques Martinod | Canada, United States, Ecuador |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bring Them Down | Christopher Andrews | Ireland, Unied Kingdom, Belgium | |
| The Draughtsman's Contract | United Kingdom | ||
| In Camera | Naqqash Khalid | United Kingdom | |
| Layla | United Kingdom | ||
| Sky Peals | Moin Hussain | United Kingdom | |
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| So Close to the Clouds | Tan cerca de las nubes | Manuel Cañibe | Mexico |
| The Dark Castle | Kirill Kuzin | Belarus, Russia | |
| A Fragile Flower | Doa hoa mong manh | Mai Thu Huyền | Vietnam, USA |
| Jíkuri:Journey to the Land of the Tarahumara | Federico Cecchetti | México, USA, France | |
As part of centenary celebrations of Raj Kapoor, Mohammed Rafi, Tapan Sinha and Akkineni Nageswara Rao, each of their film restored by National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), as part of National Film Heritage Mission, is screened.[26]
| Year | Title of the Film | Language | Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Awaara | Hindustani | Raj Kapoor |
| 1953 | Devadasu | Telugu | Akkineni Nageswara Rao |
| 1961 | Hum Dono | Hindi | Mohammed Rafi |
| 1975 | Harmonium | Bengali | Tapan Sinha |
Films and television shows will have their premiere in this segment.[27]
| Title | Director(s) | Language |
|---|---|---|
| The Piano Lesson | Malcolm Washington | English |
| The Rana Daggubati Show | Sukhvinder Singh Chauhan | Telugu |
| Zero Se Restart | Jaskunwar Singh Kohli | Hindi |
| Snow Flower | Gajendra Ahire | Marathi |
| Saali Mohabbat | Tisca Chopra | Hindi |
| Mrs. | Arati Kadav | Hindi |
| Vikkatakavi | Pradeep Maddali | Telugu |
| Pune Highway | Rahul da Cunha | Hindi |
| Hazar Vela Sholay Pehlila Manus | Hrishikesh Gupte | Marathi |
| Kannappa (Showcase) | Mukesh Kumar Singh | Telugu |
| The Mehta Boys | Boman Irani | Hindi |
| Jab Khuli Kitaab | Saurabh Shukla | Hindi |
| Hisaab Barabar | Ashwni Dhir | Hindi |
| Pharma | P. R. Arun | Malayalam |
| Headhunting To Beatboxing | Rohit Gupta | English |
Australia has been nominated as the "Country of Focus" for the festival. A thoughtfully selected lineup of seven Australian films, spanning a variety of genres will be featured in the festival. From acclaimed dramas and impactful documentaries to visually captivating thrillers and uplifting comedies, these films will highlight Australia's unique cultural identity, showcasing a rich array of stories from both indigenous and modern communities.[28]
| Title | Original Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Addition | Marcelle Lunam | |
| Robert Connolly | ||
| In Vitro | Will Howarth, Tom McKeith | |
| Runt | John Sheedy | |
| The Moogai | Jon Bell | |
| The Rooster | Mark Leonard Winter | |
| The Speedway Murders | Adam Kamien, Luke Rynderman | |
| Rising up at Night | Tongo Saa | Nelson Makengo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso, Qatar) |