IFFI 2019: Movies, film sections, schedule, awards and more

What is the venue of IFFI?

The state of Goa will be hosting the current edition of IFFI. Even since 2004, its venue got permanently shifted to the beach state.

What are the dates of IFFI?

The 50th edition of IFFI will be held from November 20 to November 28.

For details about the schedule, please visit https://my.iffigoa.org/film-guide/schedule/

Who is hosting IFFI?

The festival is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Directorate of Film Festivals and the Government of Goa.

What is the budget of IFFI 2019?

Subhash Faldesai, vice-chairman of the state-run Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), said the Goa government is spending around Rs 18 crore on hosting the IFFI this year. Of this, Rs 5.5 crore has been raised through sponsorships. More than 10,000-12,000 delegates are expected to take part in the event giving a boost to the state’s economy.

The Stalwarts of Indian Cinema Shri @SrBachchan & Shri @rajinikanth will grace the #IFFI2019 Opening Ceremony after their appearance together at 45th IFFI in 2014. @satija_amit @esg_goa @MIB_India @PIB_India#IFFI50 #Rajinikanth #AmitabhBachchan pic.twitter.com/sNWla5a0IP

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) November 4, 2019

How many films will be screening at IFFI 2019?

I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar last month announced that around 200 films from 76 countries will be screened this year. This includes 26 feature and 15 non-feature films in the Indian Panorama section.

Which film will open IFFI 2019?

Italian refugee drama Despite the Fog is set to open IFFI this year. The film revolves around a child refugee Ali-Musa Sarhan whose parents drown on the Italian coast. He is accepted by a couple who have lost their child. The new parents however face hostility from the society and their own family caught in xenophobia. Directed by Serbian filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic, Despite the Fog highlights the struggle the refugee minors face on the streets of Europe.

The Golden Jubilee Edition of IFFI will declare open with the Asian Premiere of the film “Despite the Fog” directed by Europe’s one of the most respected filmmakers, Goran Paskaljevic.

Catch the Red Carpet screening of this spectacular film on the 20th Nov at #IFFI2019 pic.twitter.com/c8oNkLksRH

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) November 6, 2019

A short film on Goa’s former chief minister Manohar Parrikar will also be shown at the opening ceremony. Parrikar is credited for bringing IFFI to Goa in 2004 and making it the festival’s permanent destination.

Which film will close IFFI 2019?

Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s Marghe and Her Mother will close the festival. The movie deals with the life of a 6-year-old. Her single mother Claudia has been thrown out of her house due to non-payment, leaving the girl at the mercy of an old woman next door.

Who all will attend the opening ceremony?

Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth will grace the festival’s inauguration. Composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan will enthrall with his fusion music.

Which films will be screened in Indian Panorama section?

Feature Films: The feature film jury has picked Hellaro, a Gujarati film helmed by Abhishek Shah, to open the Indian Panorama 2019. Filmmaker Priyadarshan is heading this jury. A total of 26 feature films have been selected including mainstream movies like Uri: The Surgical Strike, Gully Boy, Super 30 and Badhaai Ho.

Non-Feature Films: Filmmaker Rajendra Janglay is heading the non-feature jury. Director Ashish Pandey’s Nooreh has been chosen as the opening non-feature film of the Indian Panorama 2019 segment. A total of 15 non-feature films will be screened including Bohubritta, Letters, Bridge, Maya, Iravilum Pakalilum Odiyan and The Secret Life of Frogs.

Film sections and awards

Festival Kaleidoscope: Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Patrick, Little Joe, Synonyms, Queen of Hearts, So Long My Son and a lot more fall under this.

A still from Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Soul Of Asia: Feelings to Tell, Summer is the Coldest Season, The Fourth Wall, Ten Years Japan, Ten Years Taiwan, The Other Half and Wet Season will be screened.

Oscar Retrospective: Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, Ben Hur, The Best Years of our Lives, All About Eve, Lawrence of Arabia, The Sound of Music, The Godfather, The Silence of the Lambs and Forrest Gump will be screened at IFFI 2019.

Mid-Fest Film: German Romantic Drama Traumfabrik’s Asia Premiere will take place at IFFI 2019. It is the story of a man trying to reunite with his lady love after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall, in 1961.

Restored Indian Classics Section: This includes Ritwik Ghatak’s A River Called Titas and Uday Shankar’s Kalpana.

International Competition Section: Antigone, Watch List, Captive, Steed, Stories from the Chestnut Woods and Balloon fall under this category.

Special Goan Film Section: Seven local Konkani language films will also be shown. This includes Digant, Amori, K Sera Sera, The Rainy Day and others.

This year at #IFFI2019, we are throwing the limelight on 7 Acclaimed films by Goan Filmmakers under a special film section named “The Goan Story”

Register as a #IFFI50 Delegate today at https://t.co/ChlTDdisMO and catch these films under a single roof@satija_amit @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/d4b0tyhWjP

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) November 5, 2019

Open Air Screening Section: 14 films including Hindi movies Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Padosan, Andaz Apna Apna, Hera Pheri, Chennai Express, Badhaai Ho, Total Dhamaal, Super 30, Uri and Gully Boy will be screened across two venues – Joggers Park (Altinho, Panjim) and Miramar Beach, Panjim.

Accessible India Section: Lage Raho Munnabhai, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story and Questao De Confusao will have additional narration for the visually impaired.

Golden Lining Indian Films’ Section: To mark the 50th year of IFFI, several prominent films from across languages that have completed 50 years in 2019 will also be shown. These include Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Satyakam and Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana.

Master Frames: This will have 17 films by filmmakers of international repute.

Golden Peacock Award: 15 films from 20 countries including Particles, The Science of Fictions, Gamperaliya, At Five in the Afternoon, Moner Manush, Porfirio, The Bostonians, The King of Masks, Tulpan and Leviathan are among the films competing for the Golden Peacock award. Two Indian films Mai Ghat: Crime No. 103/2005 and Jallikattu are also vying for the big award.

Malayalam film #Jallikattu by @mrinvicible and @ananthmahadevan‘s Marathi film Mai Ghat: Crime No. 103/2005 will be the Two Indian films that will compete against 13 other International films for the coveted Golden Peacock Award this year at @IFFIGoa #IFFI2019 #IFFI50 pic.twitter.com/mpT8QrPEE4

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) October 18, 2019

Best Debut Feature Award: Abou Leila, Monsters, My Name is Sara, Cleo and Romang are competing in this film section. National Award-winning film Hellaro, directed by Abhishek Shah, and Malayalam film Uyare by Manu Ashokan are the two Indian films competing for this award.

For details about other film sections, please visit https://iffigoa.org/film-sections/

Who will speak at the Masterclass and in-conversation sessions?

Farah Khan, Ilayaraaja, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Madhur Bhandarkar, Isabelle Huppert and Sabu Cyril are among those who will hold Masterclass sessions. Taapsee Pannu, Anil Kapoor and Anees Bazmee will be speaking at ‘in-conversation’ sessions.

Who will be honoured at IFFI 2019?

Icon of Golden Jubilee Award: Superstar Rajinikanth

The Superstar who has won millions of hearts worldwide with his enthralling and ever-so-entertaining performances on screen. 🎬 Give it up for the
“ICON OF GOLDEN JUBILEE OF IFFI”, the one and only, @rajinikanth @satija_amit @esg_goa @MIB_India @PIB_India #IFFI2019 #Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/Hy9HsSTl9Q

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) November 4, 2019

IFFI Lifetime Achievement Award: French actor Isabelle Huppert

Special Retrospective Film Section: Tribute to acclaimed British filmmaker Ken Loach

Retrospective of Amitabh Bachchan: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s most ‘impactful’ films will be screened to commemorate his “outstanding contribution to cinema”. Bachchan has himself picked six of his best films including Sholay, Deewaar, Black, Piku and Badla. His Paa will open this special section.

In a way of honoring this year’s #DadasahebPhalke Award Winner @SrBachchan, #IFFI2019 will have a special retrospective section of his best films, with the film “PAA” opening the Film section.#IFFI50 @satija_amit #AmitabhBachchan @MIB_India @PIB_India @esg_goa pic.twitter.com/63X2MYQWzH

— IFFI 2019 (@IFFIGoa) November 5, 2019

What are the other special screenings?

IFFI 2019 will also screen 50 films of 50 women directors.