The 56th International Film Festival of India took place from 20 to 28 November 2025 at Panaji, Goa. In place of its customary indoor stadium launch, the opening ceremony was presented this year as a carnival parade. The festival opened with the screening of 2025 dystopian drama film The Blue Trail by Gabriel Mascaro. Indian film director and screenwriter Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra served as the chairperson of the International Jury. The festival presented more than 240 films from 81 countries, including 13 world premieres, 5 international premieres and 44 Asian premieres.
Japan was designated as the 'Country of Focus' at the festival, and it will present six curated titles. In addition Spain will be the Partner Country, with Australia as the Spotlight Country. The festival also celebrated centenaries and honoured 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 ceremony on 28 November featured a felicitation of actor Rajinikanth, recognizing his contributions to cinema over the past five decades. The festival concluded with the announcement of various awards. Golden Peacock for the best feature film was won by the Vietnamese transgender sex romance film Skin of Youth by Ash Mayfair. A Useful Ghost, a Thai supernatural black comedy-drama by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke was screened as the closing film of the festival.
Overview The 56th edition of the festival showcased 15 curated and competitive sections, including International Competition, Best Debut Feature Film, and the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal. Special categories included featured categories viz: Macabre Dreams, Docu-Montage, Experimental cinema, UNICEF-supported films, and Restored classics. The Gala Premieres section included 18 films, featuring 13 world premieres and two Asia premieres. The Indian Panorama presented 25 feature films, 20 non-feature films, and five debut features. More than 50 films by women directors and over 50 debut works were shown in the international lineup. The festival also hosted 21 masterclasses.
Opening and closing ceremonies Opening ceremony For the first time in its history, the festival, departing from the tradition of hosting opening ceremony in enclosed venue. commenced with a carnival 26-float parade on 20 November 2025. It featured floats from production houses, state representatives, cultural groups, cinematic heritage and the world of animation. It was hosted by Abhinandan Singh and Akshata Prabhu.The parade proceeded through the lanes and alleyways of Panaji, Goa, reminiscent of its carnival. Opening ceremony was attended by Anupam Kher and Jackie Shroff. Indian actor, film producer Nandamuri Balakrishna was felicitated at the parade for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
Closing ceremony The festival ended with a vibrant display of India’s cultural diversity, featuring folk traditions, classical dances from different regions, and performances by divyang artists. It concluded with the announcement of the awards and the screening of the Thai film A Useful Ghost, directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.
Jury International Jury
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Indian film director, occasional actor and screenwriter, Chairperson Graeme Clifford, Australian film director Remi Adefarasin, English cinematographer Katharina Schüttler, German television and film actress Chandran Rutnam, Sri Lankan filmmaker and entrepreneur
ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal jury
Ahmed Bedjaoui, artistic director of the International Film Festival of Algiers, chairperson Xueyan Hun, Platform for Creativity and Innovation, CICT-ICFT youth branch Serge Michel, vice president of UNICA; Tobias Biancone, former director-general of the International Theatre Institute Georges Dupont, director-general of ICFT and former senior international civil servant at UNESCO
Feature film jury
Raja Bundela, Indian actor, producer, politician and civil activist, chairperson Malay Ray, Cinematographer Subhash Sehgal, film editor Jadumani Dutta, filmmaker Krishna Hebbal, actor Kamlesh K Mishra, filmmaker Arun Bakshi, actor, singer Asim Sinha, actor Ashok Sharan, producer Sukumar Jatania, cinematographer B S Basavaraju, cinematographer
Non-feature film jury Dharam Gulati, Cinematographer, chairperson Anjali Panjabi, Filmmaker & Producer Bobby Sarma Baruah, Filmmaker Rekha Gupta, Film Critic and Film Curator Ashok Cashyap, Film Producer, Filmmaker and Cinematographer A. Karthik Raaja, Cinematographer Jyotsana Garg, Filmmaker
Web Series jury
Bharatbala Ganapathy, Indian film filmmaker-producer – Chairperson R Mahendran, Producer Munjal Shroff, Director and Producer Rajeshwari Sachdev, Actor Sekhar Kumar Das, Writer and Director
Screening venues
The following venues will host the festival screenings.
Inox Panjim, Maquinez Palace Inox Porvorim Z-Square Samrat Ashok Ravindra Bhavan Madgaon Open-air screenings Miramar Beach Ravindra Bhavan, Margao Vagator Beach (Helipad)
Official selection
Opening midfest and closing films The opening and closing films of the festival are:
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Opening film The Blue Trail O Último Azul Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Mexico, Chile, NetherlandsMidfest film Sirāt Oliver LaxeSpain, FranceClosing film A Useful Ghostผีใช้ได้ค่ะ Ratchapoom BoonbunchachokeThailand, France, Singapore, Germany
International competition
15 feature films will compete for the Golden Peacock award.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Amaran Tamil Rajkumar Periasamy Raaj Kamal Films International Amrum Fatih AkinGermany C'est Si Bon! Moi qui t'aimais Diane Kurys France Gondhal गोंधळ Santosh Davakhar India Little Trouble Girls Kaj ti je deklica Urška Djukić Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia Mosquitoes Le Bambine Valentina Bertani and Nicole Bertani Italy, Switzerland, France Mother's Baby Johanna Moder Austria, Switzerland, Germany My Father's Shadow Akinola Davies Jr.United Kingdom, Ireland, NigeriaA PoetSimón Mesa SotoColombia, Germany, Sweden Renoir Chie HayakawaJapan, Australia, France, Singapore, Philippines, IndonesiaSarkeet Thamar KV India Sham Takashi Miike Japan Skin of Youth Ồn Ào Tuổi Trẻ Ash Mayfair Vietnam, Singapore, JapanSongs of Adam Oday Rasheed Iraq The Visual Feminist Manifesto Farida Baqi Syria, Lebanon, Germany
Best Debut Feature Film of a Director
This section will feature seven first-time filmmakers from the world of cinema.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Ata Thambaycha Naay! आता थांबायचं नाय! Shivraj Waichal India The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box) El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja) Ernesto Martínez Bucio Mexico Fury La furiaGemma BlascoSpainFränk Tõnis Pill EstoniaKarla Christina Tournatzés Germany My Daughter’s Hair رها Hesam Farahmand IranShape of Momo Tribeny Rai India
ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal 10 films are competing for the IFFI ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal:
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)BridesNadia FallUnited KingdomHana Ujkan Hysaj Kosovo In Search of the Sky Vimukt Jitank Singh Gurjar IndiaK Poper Ebrahim Amini Iran The President's Cake Hasan Hadi Iraq, Qatar, United StatesSafe House Eirik Svensson NorwayTanvi the Great Anupam Kher India The Wave Sebastián LelioChile, United StatesWhite Snow Praveen Morchhale IndiaYakushima's IllusionL'Illusion de Yakushima Naomi Kawase France, Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg
From The Festivals - 2025 English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Black Rabbit, White Rabbit Shahram Mokri Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates The Blue Trail O Último Azul Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Netherlands Dreams (Sex Love) Drømmer Dag Johan Haugerud NorwayFather Mother Sister Brother Jim Jarmusch United States, Ireland, France Fiume o morte! Rijeka Igor Bezinović Croatia, Italy, Slovenia Gloaming in Luomu 罗目的黄昏 Zhang Lü China It Was Just an Accident Jafar PanahiIran, France, Luxembourg Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions Katanga - La danse des scorpions Dani Kouyaté Burkina Faso Kontinental '25 Radu Jude Romania, Brazil, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg MagellanLav DiazPortugal, Spain, Philippines, France The Mastermind Kelly ReichardtUnited States, United Kingdom The Message El mensaje Iván Fund Argentina, Spain Miroirs No. 3 Christian Petzold Germany No Other Choice 어쩔수가없다 Park Chan-wook South Korea Sentimental Value Joachim TrierNorway, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom Sirāt Oliver LaxeSpain, FranceSound of Falling Mascha Schilinski GermanyWhite Snail Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter Austria, Germany Woman and Childزن و بچه Saeed RoustayiIran, France, Germany
Indian Panorama 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.
Feature films Title of the Film Language Director(s) Producer(s) Amaran () Tamil Rajkumar Periasamy Raaj Kamal Films InternationalGondhal गोंधळ Santosh Davakhar India Sarkeet Malayalam Thamar KV Ajith Vinayaka Films Vimukt Braj-language Jitank Singh Gurjar Canvas Creation The Bengal Files Hindi Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri Abhishek Agarwal Arts Oitharei Manipuri Dinesh Naorem Gibanlata Thokchom Maliput Melodies Odia Vishal Patnaik Kaustav Dreamworks Studios
Mainstream Cinema Section
Title of the Film Language Director(s) Producer(s) Ata Thambaycha Naay! Marathi Shivraj Waichal Chalk and Cheese Films Chhaava Hindi Laxman Utekar Maddock Films Sikaar Assamese Debangkar Borgohain Unicorn Motion Pictures Sankranthiki Vasthunam Telugu Anil Ravipudi Sri Venkateswara Creations Thudarum Malayalam Tharun Moorthy Rejaputhra Visual Media
Non-feature Films Title of the Film Language Director(s) Aanirai Tamil E. V. Ganesh Babu Battlefield Manipuri Borun Thokchom Chambal Hindi Anhad Mishra Kakori () Hindi Kamlesh K. Mishra Nilgiris - A Shared Wilderness English, Tamil Sandesh Kadur Ummathat Kodava Prakash Kariappa
Best Debut Director
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)A.R.M Jithin Lal India Committee Kurrollu Yadhu Vamsee India Shape of Momo Tribeny Rai India Binodiini Binodiini: Ekti Natir Upakhyan Ram Kamal Mukherjee India
Best Web Series OTT English title Original title Director(s) Network Bandish Bandits (Season 2) Anand Tiwari Prime VideoBlack Warrant Vikramaditya Motwane NetflixPaatal Lok (Season 2) Avinash Arun Prime VideoSuzhal: The Vortex (Season 2) Bramma G. Prime Video
Docu–Montage
This section comprises documentaries & docu-drama.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)And There Was Evening And There Was Morning. The First DayYouhanna Nagy EgyptBelow the CloudsSotto le nuvoleGianfranco Rosi ItalyCroma Manuel Abramovich Argentina, Germany, AustriaForensicsFederico Atehortúa Arteaga ColumbiaGods of Stone Iván Castiñeiras Gallego Spain, France, PortugalKu Handza André Guiomar PortugalLullaby for the Mountains Hayk Matevosyan Armenia, United StatesMorichales Chris Gude United States, Colombia
Experimental Films – 2025
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Dreaming Is Not Sleeping Rouzbeh Rashidi Ireland, Germany, Poland, and DenmarkMare's Nest Ben Rivers United Kingdom, France, Canada
Rising Stars
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Blue Heron Sophy Romvari Canada, Hungary Living the Land 生息之地 Huo Meng China Sand City Mahde Hasan BangladeshSweetheart Gioia mia Margherita Spampinato Italy
Cinema of the World The following films were selected in this section: