Panjim Gears Up For IFFI 56 As FTII Course Concludes
By Manu Shrivastava
As the sun dips low over the Mandovi River, casting a golden hue on Panjim's colonial facades, the city's arteries pulse with the rhythm of impending stardust.
With just two days until the curtains rise on the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), preparations in the Goan capital have hit a crescendo, blending meticulous logistics with bursts of cultural fervour. From festooned streets to fortified venues, Panaji is no longer just a quaint riverside town, it's a global stage primed for cinematic alchemy.
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| Preparations underway at the main venue in Panjim |
The festival, slated to unfold from November 20 to 28, is poised to host over 7,500 delegates, a testament to its escalating allure as Asia's premier celluloid conclave.
The infrastructure is primed, with key screening hubs like INOX Multiplex and the iconic Kala Academy outfitted for seamless operations, as per the organisers. "We've left no stone unturned," affirmed a senior official, emphasising the readiness amid a lineup of 270 films spanning horizons from 81 nations.
At the heart of the buzz is IFFIESTA, the festival's bold new cultural arm making its debut this year, an extravaganza of music, performances, and storytelling that promises to spill cinema's magic onto Goa's sun-kissed shores.
Complementing this are open-air beach screenings, float parades, and traditional Romtamel competitions, injecting local flavour into the international bonanza. Five Goan films have earned spots for special showcases, underscoring the festival's nod to regional voices, while seven Konkani productions will light up dedicated slots.
The opening ceremony on November 20 will kick off with a vibrant street carnival along Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, where the road will shutter for a day to accommodate a kaleidoscopic parade.
Tableau from production houses and state delegations will march opposite the Old GMC Building, evoking a symphony of lights, sounds, and narratives.
Security arrangements, a perennial priority for such high-profile gatherings, have been ramped up with multi-agency coordination. Plainclothes personnel, CCTV reinforcements, and drone surveillance will blanket key zones, ensuring a safe haven for stars and cinephiles alike.
Meanwhile, aesthetic overhauls adorn the cityscape: Workers have been toiling since early November, erecting illuminated arches, thematic banners proclaiming 'Innovation, Creativity and Technology' — this edition's guiding mantra — and floral motifs inspired by film reels along MG Road and 18th June Road.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, speaking at a recent press briefing, hailed the theme as a beacon for India's evolving film ecosystem, one that marries storytelling with cutting-edge tech to amplify global footprints.
The silver screen itself brims with promise. The festival unspools with the Brazilian dystopian drama The Blue Trail, setting a tone of introspective futurism. Diversity reigns with 50 films helmed by women directors, 21 Oscar contenders, and 50 debuts from fresh visionaries, including 13 world premieres and four international bows.
India's Panorama section, a 50-film showcase, spotlights regional gems tipped for thunderous receptions. Tamil icon Rajinikanth will receive the Lifetime Achievement honour, a crowning moment amid 21 masterclasses led by industry titans.
At IFFI 56, Japan holds the distinguished status of Country of Focus. This means the festival will spotlight Japanese cinema with a selection of six curated films that reflect Japan’s evolving cinematic style and storytelling. This programming highlights not just the country’s film artistry but also its growing relevance in global cinema.
Other notable country partnerships announced for IFFI 56 include Spain as the Partner Country and Australia as the Spotlight Country thereby continuing the tradition of honouring excellence in world cinema.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has orchestrated dedicated zones for interviews, live streams, and real-time updates via LED screens and WhatsApp alerts. Press releases in Konkani ensure the local pulse stays synced.
On November 18, PIB-organised Film Appreciation Course (FTII) unfolded as a quiet but vital prelude to the festival’s grand swirl, offering journalists a rare pause before the cinematic storm. In a single, intensive day, FTII’s faculty took reporters into the deeper, more intricate layers of cinema: the grammar behind a frame, the emotional architecture of an edit, the politics hidden in a narrative.
It became less a classroom and more a gentle resetting of the journalist’s gaze, a reminder that beyond the red carpets, press kits and celebrity chatter lies the craft itself, ancient yet ever-evolving.
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| The Film Appreciation Course underway at Panjim |
For first-timers especially, the course served as an initiation into looking, really looking, at films with the curiosity of a student and the discipline of a critic. And for everyone attending, it offered a much-needed moment of reflection—before the lights dimmed, before the screen glowed, before the festival rush pulled them back into its frantic rhythm.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan at a press conference underscored IFFI's role in elevating India's soft power, "This isn't just a festival; it's a dialogue across borders, fostering collaborations that echo far beyond Goa's beaches."
As Panjim's night markets hum with whispers of red-carpet sightings and after-party invites, one thing is clear ... IFFI 56 isn't arriving, it's already weaving itself into the city's soul, reel by reel.
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