IFFI 2026 to showcase films from 86 countries under ‘Stories Without Borders’ theme
The nine-day festival in Goa will feature more than 150 international films, Indian Panorama selections, filmmaker masterclasses and a global film industry marketplace.
Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, along with other dignitaries, addresses a press conference in Panaji on Friday.
PANAJI: The 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will bring together filmmakers and cinema professionals from across the world in Goa from November 20 to 28, with more than 150 international films representing 86 countries scheduled for screening.
The festival, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in association with the Government of Goa and the Entertainment Society of Goa, will be held under the theme ‘Stories Without Borders’.
The festival has received more than 1,900 film submissions from 137 countries, reflecting its international reach and growing participation, according to the Ministry.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled the festival programme at a curtain-raiser event, highlighting the state’s preparations to host the international film community.
‘Fatherland’ to open the festival
The festival will open with ‘Fatherland’, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski. The film follows Nobel laureate Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika during their journey through post-war Germany in 1949.
‘I Matter’, directed by Alina Șerban and co-produced by Romania, Germany and Belgium, will be screened as the mid-fest film. The festival will close with Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s ‘We Are All Strangers’, presented in Mandarin and English.
Indian Panorama to feature 76 films in 18 languages
The Indian Panorama section will showcase 76 films across 18 languages, highlighting the diversity of Indian cinema.
Hindi feature film ‘Dhurandhar’ and Ladakhi-language non-feature film ‘Becoming’ will open the section.
The festival will also feature a Best Debut Feature Films Competition with seven international films, providing a platform for emerging directors. Its programme will include 52 women filmmakers and 62 debut filmmakers, according to the Ministry.
WAVES Film Bazaar to connect creators with global markets
The WAVES Film Bazaar will bring together filmmakers, producers, buyers, distributors and other industry stakeholders to facilitate collaborations, co-productions and business opportunities.
Its initiatives will include the Screenwriters’ Lab, Co-production Market, Viewing Room and Work-in-Progress Lab.
Netflix will participate as the Knowledge Series partner, supporting industry capacity-building and showcasing its collaboration with the government on strengthening India’s visual effects capabilities.
Masterclasses and centenary tributes
IFFI 2026 will organise 14 masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and interactive sessions at Kala Academy from November 21 to 27. The sessions will cover documentary filmmaking, cross-border storytelling, women in world cinema, casting, subtitling and emerging cinematic practices.
The festival will also mark the birth centenaries of prominent Indian cinema personalities, including filmmakers Shakti Samanta and Raj Khosla, actors Uttam Kumar, Suryakant Mandhare, Prem Nazir and Raj Kumar, and music composers O. P. Nayyar and Ravi.
A special tribute to Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda will feature five films, alongside a Restored Classics section showcasing five films.
Screenings across Goa
The festival will screen films across 13 indoor screens at four locations, including venues in Panaji, Porvorim, Margao and Ponda. The combined seating capacity will exceed 4,000.
Established in 1952, IFFI is among Asia’s oldest international film festivals. The annual event provides a platform for showcasing world cinema, promoting Indian films and facilitating exchanges among filmmakers and audiences from different countries.
