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#IFFIWood, 28 November 2024

As all good things must come to an end, IFFI 2024 also comes to a close, of course with its lasting impact on celebrating the joy of cinema, and promising many a pathway for future filmmakers.

Signalling the ending for a new beginning, the curtains came down on the 55^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) today with a spectacular closing ceremony, celebrating the magic of cinema and the spirit of storytelling at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa.

The event was a fitting finale to the nine-day celebration of global and Indian cinema, uniting filmmakers, artistes, and cinephiles in a shared appreciation for the magic of storytelling on screen.

From the red-carpet moments to the soul-stirring performances and masterful storytelling, the closing ceremony was a star-studded affair, honouring the finest works of cinema and the artists who have left an indelible mark.

Unveiling the final chapter of this cinematic celebration, the ceremony was packed with moments and memories that will linger long in the minds of the cine-lovers.

The festival concluded with the Closing film, “Dry Season” - directed by the acclaimed Czech filmmaker Bohdan Sláma, encapsulating the story of humanity, sustainability, and generational bonds.

The closing night’s most awaited segment was the presentation of the prestigious awards, recognizing exceptional talent and storytelling.

Lithuanian film ‘Toxic’ bagged Golden Peacock for the Best Film

The film Toxic bagged the most coveted Golden Peacock Award for Best Feature Film this year. Shri Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa and Shri Ashutosh Gowariker, Jury Chairperson of the International Competition presented the award.

Lithuanian filmmaker and screenwriter Saulė Bliuvaitė’s debut feature film delivers a raw and haunting coming-of-age story of friendship. The Jury praised the film for exploring adolescence and the harsh realities of growing up in an economically deprived society, with so much sensitivity and empathy.

Bogdan Muresanu honoured with Silver Peacock for Best Director

Recognising his outstanding direction and exquisite storytelling on screen, the award for Silver Peacock for Best Director went to Romanian writer and director Bogdan Muresanu for his film, ‘The New Year That Never Came.’

Clément Faveau bestowed with Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (Male)

Actor Clément Faveau was Awarded the Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Male) for his incredible and compelling performance in the French film Holy Cow, expressing the emotional ups and downs of the protagonist, while traversing from ages of innocence to maturity.

The Jury also made a special mention to Actor Adam Bessa for his portrayal of Bilal, in the Tunisian film Who Do I Belong To; the actor was lauded for his nuanced and restrained performance in the film.

Actors Vesta Matulytė and Ieva Rupeikaitė jointly snatched Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Female)

For their extraordinary debut performances, the Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Female) was jointly awarded to actors Vesta Matulytė and Ieva Rupeikaitė for the film ‘Toxic.’

The Special Jury Award went to Louise Courvoisier

Acknowledging the creative excellence in filmmaking, Special Jury Award was presented to the French filmmaker Louise Courvoisier for the film ‘Holy Cow.’

Familiar Touch by Sarah Friedland receives Award for Best Debut Feature Film of a Director

Best Debut Feature Film of a Director was won by the Drama film Familiar Touch by American Debut Director Sarah Friedland.

Director Navjyot Bandiwadekar (for the Marathi Film ‘Gharat Ganpati’) grabbed Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film for his exceptional storytelling

In a significant addition to the awards roster, the maiden Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film was presented to Shri Navjyot Bandiwadekar, the Director of the Marathi Film Gharat Ganpati, marking IFFI’s commitment to nurturing emerging Indian filmmakers.  

Selecting the film from amongst five other feature-films, the Jury chaired by renowned cinematographer and director Santhosh Sivan, unanimously agreed that the film is well crafted with robust performances. Capturing the complexities of familial bonds, the deep emotional resonance makes the film a standout debut.

‘Crossing’ by Levan Akin bags ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal

The prestigious ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal, celebrating cinematic works promoting peace, tolerance, and dialogue, was awarded to the film Crossing by Levan Akin.

“A stunning piece of cinema about love and understanding,” the Jury commended the film for its stunning cinematic qualities and its thought-provoking exploration of gender equality and social understanding.

Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Australian Filmmaker Phillip Noyce

One of the ceremony’s highlights was the presentation of the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema to legendary Australian Film Director Phillip Noyce, honouring his invaluable contributions to the art of cinema. 

Receiving the award, the Filmmaker said, “There is nothing like the Indian audience watching movies completely engrossed and I am glad I could experience that when I first came to India. It was like I was watching movies for the first time, along with the audience.”

Speaking of the greatness of Ray, he said, “For us, Satyajit Ray is an inspiration, I was particularly inspired by the smallness of his films in scale but the largeness of his films in heart. For Satyajit Ray films, less is more, and the future of moviemaking indicates that movies will be smaller but the ideas will be bigger.”

Best Web Series (OTT) Award went to ‘Lampan’ (Sony Liv)

Recognizing the transformative shift in storytelling, the Best Web Series (OTT) Award was conferred on ‘Lampan,’ celebrating innovation and artistic merit in the digital space. ‘Lampan’ is directed by Nipun Dharmadhikari.

Actor Vikrant Massey receives Indian Film Personality of the Year Award

Shri Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa and Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting presented Indian Film Personality of the Year to Actor Vikrant Massey.

Receiving the award, Vikrant Massey noted, “this is really a special moment for me; I never imagined I would get this award. There will be ups and downs in the life but we should to be ready to restart as my character did in the film, 12^th Fail”

“I am a story teller at heart, I choose the scripts to be able to become voice of the common people.

Massey echoed, “Own yourself, own your stories, own your roots wherever you come from. Indian Film industry is one of the spectacular industries to be part of.”

Special Felicitation

Iconic Indian Director Ramesh Sippy and celebrated Actor Jaya Prada was specially felicitated for their contribution to Indian Cinema in the ceremony by Shri Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa and Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

The ceremony also paid tribute to IFFI’s technical partners and collaborators for their pivotal role in making this edition a success. Dignitaries including Mrs. Delilah Lobo, Vice Chairman of ESG, Dr. V. Candavelou, Chief Secretary of Goa, and felicitated representatives from Qube Cinema, BARCO, Pulse Electronics, and SMPTE for their invaluable contributions.

Praising the efforts of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and NFDC, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that, “This IFFI is unique in terms of many new initiatives like Film Bazaar which were presented in such a revolutionary way that everyone is benefitted by the Film bazaar. This time, we screened movies across the City of Goa for the film lovers to enjoy the films and more than 195 films were screened this year.”

The CM also emphasized that this year, Goan culture was embedded in IFFI with the IFFI parade which got immense love and positive response from all delegates and participants from across the world.” Now, the tourists especially mark their calendars to attend IFFI in Goa which is taking our tourism to the global scale. IFFI has taken our reach to the global scale; many filmmakers have started coming to Goa to shoot after attending IFFI so I invite the foreign filmmakers to shoot in the State of Goa and I assure that single window clearance for film shooting will be provided to all the filmmakers.

The Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Sanjay Jaju said that, “One word that describes this year’s IFFI is vibrancy, like never seen before. It’s because our Honourable Prime Minister always talks about our young creators and India, being the next exporter of content. We dedicate this year’s IFFI to all the young creators, the budding talents of Creative Minds of Tomorrow and the storytellers coming from all over the country. This IFFI has been qualitatively and quantitively the best one so far. I thank the people of Goa and our country, all the artists and performers, who made this possible.”

Talking about the many facets of the festival, especially the centenary celebrations of the Icons of Indian Cinema and Film Bazaar, Jaju adds, “This used to be a festival of the industry and for the industry, and with Shri Shekhar Kapur as the Festival Director of the 55^th edition of IFFI, it has truly become a festival by the industry.

The Film Bazaar has been arguably the biggest in the world this year, in terms of the number and size; and the potential selling and buying of films that took place and I think the future is right here, right now and I thank the people coming from all over the world to make this a reality,” Shri Jaju said.

Terming Goa as truly is the entertainment capital of the country, the secretary also thanked the Government of Goa for their support and collaborations.

Addressing the audience at the ceremony, the Festival Director, Shekhar Kapur, expressed joy and satisfaction: “We have just delivered the greatest film festival in the world. Initiatives like Film Bazaar, Masterclasses etc. have made this festival a grand success.” He appreciated the people of Goa for the jubilant participation in the festival.

Asserting the power of the cinema, Shri Ashutosh Gowarikar, Jury Chairperson of the International Comepetitions, commented, “All the movies selected for the competition stood tall. A great film doesn't just tell us a story, it changes us. To all the young filmmakers, let the light inside you burn brighter so that one day your vision will be seen by the world."

Sharing about his experience at 55^th IFFI, Gowarikar said, “the language of cinema was the shared heartbeat of all the Jury members. Each of the 15 films were a living vision. The films revealed relentless commitment to the craft. However, the winning films stood out.”

The ceremony, hosted by Samir Kochhar, opened to a packed audience, including luminaries from the film industry, government officials, and international guests. The evening began with a warm welcome, followed by a moving rendition of the National Anthem, setting the tone for a night of pride and celebration.

An emotional journey through the festival’s best moments was presented in an audio-visual montage that celebrated the artistic and cultural diversity showcased at this year’s IFFI. The entertainment was elevated by show-stopping performances by Mame Khan, Nikhita Gandhi, and Digvijay Singh Pariyar and soul-stirring musical performances by singer Amaal Malik.

The evening reached its zenith with a mesmerizing finale by actress and dancer Shriya Saran, titled “Rhythms of India” showcasing the richness of Indian classical and folk traditions.

As the 55^th IFFI drew to a close, it left behind the legacy of 55 glorious years of cinematic achievements, meaningful dialogue, and cultural exchange. This year’s festival not only celebrated the art of filmmaking but also underscored the power of cinema to inspire, connect, and transform lives.

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Rajith/Hiramani/Darshana | IFFI 55 - 126