PANAJI: The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) opened in Goa on Thursday, bringing together filmmakers, actors, technicians, and cinephiles from across the world for a nine-day celebration of world cinema and India’s cultural legacy.
The festival, one of Asia’s oldest and most influential, will run until November 28, featuring an expansive slate of screenings, masterclasses, industry sessions, and cultural showcases.
This year, IFFI places a strong spotlight on the restoration of Indian cinematic heritage, with 10 meticulously restored classics set to be screened during the festival. Among the highlights are the Rekha-starrer “Umrao Jaan”, Guru Dutt’s timeless “Pyaasa”, and Ritwik Ghatak’s landmark drama “Subarnarekha.”
“Umrao Jaan” and “Gaman,” two of Muzaffar Ali’s celebrated works, will be screened on November 21 and 22, respectively. The restored version of Kalpana Lajmi’s “Rudaali,” featuring a powerful performance by Dimple Kapadia, will also be showcased on November 22.
On November 23, audiences will witness classic cinema with screenings of Ghatak’s “Subarnarekha” and the 1951 film “Murliwala.”
The retrospective continues with Govind Nihalani’s 1984 film “Party” and Guru Dutt’s “Pyaasa” on November 24, followed by Shyam Benegal’s “Susman” and Sibi Malayil’s acclaimed Malayalam film “Kireedam” on November 27. The festival will close on November 28 with Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1957 gem “Musafir.”
Waves Film Bazaar Inaugurated
The 19th Film Bazaar, rebranded this year as Waves Film Bazaar, was also inaugurated alongside IFFI. Considered one of Asia’s most significant film markets, the Bazaar serves as a crucial industry platform connecting filmmakers with global financiers, studios, distributors, programmers, and collaborators.
Restoring India’s Cinematic Memory
The restoration initiative is a collaboration between Prasad, a global leader in film preservation and post-production, and NFDC-NFAI. Using advanced digital restoration, colour grading, and Mastering & QC techniques, the teams worked to preserve the visual and sonic richness of each classic while staying true to the filmmaker’s original intent.
“Restoring these films is both a responsibility and a privilege. Each title carries within it a piece of India’s cultural memory — the craft, courage and creativity of filmmakers who defined our cinematic language. At Prasad, we are committed to preserving these stories with the respect and technical excellence they deserve. Seeing them find new audiences at IFFI is the most meaningful recognition of our work,”
said Abhishek Prasad, Director & CTO at Prasad.
