The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) kicked off in Goa on November 20, 2025, with a dazzling carnival parade, signaling a vibrant start to the nine-day cinematic extravaganza. This year marks a departure from the traditional indoor inauguration, replaced by a large-scale public parade through the streets of Panaji. The parade featured colorful floats, dance troupes, and film personalities, drawing thousands of spectators to DB Road.
IFFI 2025 is set to showcase over 240 films from 81 countries, including 13 world premieres, 5 international premieres, and 44 Asian premieres. The festival opened with the screening of "The Blue Trail," a 2025 dystopian drama film by Gabriel Mascaro.
This year, Japan is the Country of Focus, with six Japanese films being screened. Spain is the Partner Country and Australia is the Spotlight Country. The festival has received a record 2,314 submissions this year.
The festival includes several curated and competitive sections, such as International Competition, Best Debut Feature Film, and the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal. Special categories include Macabre Dreams, Docu-Montage, Experimental cinema, UNICEF-supported films, and Restored classics. The Indian Panorama section will present 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films. "Amaran" is opening the feature category and "Kakori" is opening the non-feature slate. More than 50 films by women directors and over 50 debut works will be shown in the international lineup.
A key highlight of IFFI 2025 is the focus on innovation, creativity, and technology. IFFI brings India's first AI Film Festival curated from the best of AI Films from around the world. The WAVES Film Bazaar 2025 also commenced with an opening ceremony that celebrated the spirit of storytelling, innovation, and cross-cultural exchange.
The closing ceremony on November 28 will feature a felicitation of actor Rajinikanth, recognizing his contributions to cinema over the past five decades. The festival will also celebrate centenaries and honor cinematic legends such as Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P. Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika, and Salil Chowdhury with special retrospectives of their works. The closing film will be the 2025 Thai supernatural black comedy-drama "A Useful Ghost" by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is serving as the chairperson of the International Jury. Nandamuri Balakrishna was felicitated at the opening ceremony parade.
The International Film Festival of India, established in 1952, is one of Asia's most prestigious film festivals. It aims to provide a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work, promote understanding of different film cultures, and foster friendship and cooperation among people.
