The 56th International Film Festival of India has opened in Goa with over 240 films from 81 countries, a new theme celebrating creativity and technology, and a float parade replacing the traditional opening ceremony. With masterclasses, Film Bazaar, cultural events and global showcases, IFFI 2025 cements its status as India’s premier cinematic festival.
The 56th International Film Festival of India has opened in Goa with over 240 films from 81 countries, a new theme celebrating creativity and technology, and a float parade replacing the traditional opening ceremony. With masterclasses, Film Bazaar, cultural events and global showcases, IFFI 2025 cements its status as India’s premier cinematic festival.
Goa has once again transformed into a shimmering cinematic playground, welcoming filmmakers, cinephiles and industry leaders from around the world as the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) unfolds from November 20 to 28, 2025. Backed by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and the Government of Goa, IFFI has long stood as South Asia’s only FIAPF-accredited competitive feature-film festival—now its go-to global stage for storytelling, innovation and cultural exchange.
This year, the festival is larger, bolder and more inclusive than ever: a spectacular parade replaced the usual seated opening ceremony, transforming Panaji’s streets into a live tableau that welcomed audiences through colour, music and movement. The float parade, billed as a “moving celebration,” is the most visible symbol of IFFI’s ambition to redefine the festival experience.
A striking choice for IFFI 2025’s theme—“Convergence of Creativity & Technology”—underscores cinema’s transformation, and the festival embodies that evolution through not just its film lineup but its staging, audience engagement and programming. Over the nine days, Goa became a hub for global cinema, hosting over 240 films from 81 countries. From avant-garde artistic expressions and world premieres to retrospective classics, the festival’s curated programming offers something for every kind of moviegoer.
Beyond screenings, IFFI’s roster includes masterclasses, panel discussions and in-conversation sessions. This year’s edition brings together internationally acclaimed filmmakers, artists and thinkers in a knowledge-sharing space designed to nurture talent, stimulate dialogue and inspire the next generation of storytellers. For young creators, the “Creative Minds of Tomorrow” initiative provides a valuable opportunity to learn from industry luminaries and engage directly in a global dialogue.
Adding a festive layer that extends beyond cinema into real-world celebration is IFFIESTA, the festival’s cultural extravaganza. From November 21 to 24, live performances, music, art and dance will erupt at Goa’s Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Auditorium, featuring musicians and artists brought together by WAVES Culturals & Concerts in partnership with Saregama, MJ Films and Dilli Gharana. IFFIESTA, firmly free for public entry, is envisioned as a people’s celebration—an inclusive platform that channels IFFI’s cinematic energy into community and rhythm.
IFFI 2025 is not just about showmanship. Its rules and structure reflect a deliberate vision: organized by NFDC under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with Goa’s government, the festival seeks to emphasize cinema’s role in cultural understanding. Its international section is intensely competitive, affirming IFFI’s global stature in the film world.
One of the year’s big draws is the Film Bazaar, now in its 19th edition, running alongside IFFI from November 20 to 24. This industry-market space brings together producers, distributors, financiers, filmmakers and content creators to co-produce, pitch, collaborate and close deals. It’s a concrete arena for turning ideas into feature films, co-productions and cross-border partnerships.
This edition of IFFI also stands out for its commitment to gender parity: more than 50 women directors will feature in its global line-up, part of a broader push for inclusion and recognition that bolsters IFFI’s relevance in a shifting cinematic world. Alongside this, the festival continues to honour excellence through its famed awards: the Golden Peacock, given to the Best Film, and the Silver Peacock awards for acting, debut direction and special jury distinction.
The program also pays tribute to India’s cinematic heritage. IFFI 2025 will celebrate legends like Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, Salil Chowdhury and P. Bhanumathi, bridging the past and present through retrospectives that reflect on film as a medium that shapes—and is shaped by—national identity. In a particularly evocative moment, IFFI is honouring Rajinikanth for his five decades in cinema; the legend will be celebrated during the closing ceremony, and his film Lal Salaam will be screened.
Apart from the glamour and red carpet, IFFI is adjusting to the technological pulse of today’s world. With its “Convergence of Creativity & Technology” ethos, the festival is pushing boundaries around immersive cinema, emerging formats and digitally enabled storytelling. As the industry evolves, IFFI positions itself not merely as a showcase but as a testing ground for new ideas, a place where artistry meets innovation.
Yet the festival does not forget its roots. Since it started in 1952, IFFI has aimed to provide filmmakers with a single platform to present their best work, to connect with peers from around the world and to reach audiences that value cinema as art. Through its Indian Panorama section, it highlights domestic cinema in all its linguistic, thematic and stylistic diversity.
Amid the glamour, logistical demands of the event are significant. Ahead of IFFI 2025, authorities in Goa imposed restrictions on large gatherings to ensure public safety during the festival. Officials banned assemblies of more than four people in certain zones to prevent disruption—a reminder that while IFFI is a celebration, it is also a massive civic event.
For many attendees, the real magic of IFFI lies in the serendipity between screenings—the chance to bump into a director after a masterclass, to chat with an actor at a red-carpet event, or to join a spontaneous discussion under Goan skies about innovation in film. The festival doesn’t just sell tickets; it offers rare moments of connection, where creators can find collaborators and audiences can discover films that would otherwise pass under the radar.
IFFI 2025 isn’t just a film festival. It’s a global dialogue staged on the shores of Goa, where technology, culture and creativity converge. It celebrates the power of cinema to transcend borders, to challenge conventions and to amplify marginalized voices. As the floats wind their way through Panaji’s streets and the auditoriums darken for world premieres, IFFI becomes more than a moment in time—it becomes a prism through which the future of storytelling is glimpsed, shared and imagined.
