IFFI 2025 Inaugurates with Carnival Parade

The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 was inaugurated on Thursday in Panjim, Goa, and was marked with a vibrant opening ceremony and cultural performances to represent different parts of India.

Goa broke the custom by having Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant open the festival by watering a Tulsi plant, which is a sign of environmental sustainability.

To further enhance the richness of this year, there was a carnival type showcase as the opening ceremony, in which different production houses displayed tableaux that were inspired by the movies. It was a very beautiful occasion of the 50-year long journey of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) when they made such a spectacular and colorful tableau of iconic posters of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, The Lunchbox, Salaam Mumbai and some other renowned films. One such highlight was a well-designed tableau devoted to Mahavatar Narsimha and which attracted a lot of attention of the residents.

In his speech, Chief Minister Sawant pointed at the increased popularity of Goa as a shooting destination in India by saying, Goa is the most preferred shooting destination in India, and the state has the best infrastructure in the world, the film industry and the policies of the state that support filmmakers. He also observed that the reforms such as film finance scheme and single window clearance have enabled Goa to be in a strong position in the global film industry.

IFFI has remained the gateway of Indian talent to the world prospects, and India is on the leading edge of this revolution in creativity. IFFI is where storytellers, creators, and producers of Indian origin encounter the world, Sawant added.

About his first IFFI experience, Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju remarked that the festival has an international dimensions as it has 270 films representing 84 countries. He recognized the role played by the previous Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in making IFFI a permanent activity in Goa.

The festival will showcase a wide array of world, Indian and emerging talent with 270 films representing 84 countries this year. The Governor stated that IFFI remains a relevant venue of artistic interchange and movie brilliance.

It was also an opening film of the first event during which The Blue Trail was shown, a Brazilian film directed by Gabriel Mascaro, which became the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival 2025.

IFFI 2025 would go up to 28th November and the culminating event will be a grand closing ceremony the same day. In the meantime, the Waves Film Bazaar, also opened on the 20th, will shut down on 24th November.