Panaji: At the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Netflix has unexpectedly emerged as a crowd-puller — not for new shows or star appearances, but for something surprisingly educational: parental control games.
Set up in collaboration with Social and Media Matters, Netflix’s vibrant stall is drawing large groups of curious visitors, especially young audiences. The mission? Making families smarter and safer streamers.
“We’re helping people discover how easy it is to use Netflix’s parental controls,” said Pratishta Arora, CEO of Social and Media Matters. “Through memory challenges and fun quizzes, users learn how to lock a profile, check content maturity ratings, and set up kid-safe viewing.”
The booth, fittingly titled “Control. Shift. Empower.”, uses gaming to simplify digital parenting. Volunteers at the stall demonstrate how to create a dedicated kids’ profile and restrict access to mature content — a feature that many Indian users remain unaware of.
Amitabh Kumar, also from Social and Media Matters, said the initiative has received an enthusiastic response:
“People come here for fun, but leave with knowledge about safe streaming. And then they take this awareness home.”
Tech Meets Cinema at IFFI
IFFI 2025 is placing a spotlight on innovation with its theme:
“Convergence of Creativity and Technology.”
This year’s festival features:
- 270 films from 81 countries
- 124 emerging film creators showcasing their first works
- AI Hackathon debut, encouraging AI-driven filmmaking
- Largest-ever WAVES Film Bazaar for global collaborations
Japan is the Country of Focus this year, while restored classics and daring new cinema continue to share the spotlight.
A Festival Rooted in Legacy
From its beginnings in 1952, IFFI has evolved into South Asia’s most prestigious cinematic gathering. Organized by:
- NFDC & Ministry of I&B
- State Government of Goa
- ESG
This edition also marks 50 years of NFDC, adding another celebratory milestone.
For film students, first-time creators, and industry innovators, IFFI remains the place where conversations turn into careers — and where even entertainment giants like Netflix re-imagine how streaming safety can be taught.
IFFI 2025 continues in Panaji until November 28, against Goa’s scenic coastline — where cinema, creativity, and digital responsibility are converging like never before.
