#IFFIWood, 19 November 2025

The 56th International Film Festival of India is set to unveil a spectacle that promises to redefine how a festival begins — a grand, immersive Opening Parade. For the first time, IFFI will welcome its audience with a moving celebration where stories glide, music breathes, characters step off the screen, and India reveals itself through rhythm, colour, pride and breathtaking imagination. Scheduled to take place on 20^th November at 03.30 PM from Entertainment Society of Goa office to Kala Academy, this one of its kind Parade will transform the streets of Goa into a living canvas of India’s cinematic and cultural brilliance.

The parade will be led by the magnificent state tableaus of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Goa, each presenting a vivid portrait of identity and imagination. Andhra Pradesh brings the charm of Visakhapatnam’s golden shores, the mystic valleys of Araku and the pulsating spirit of Tollywood. Haryana offers a colourful fusion of folklore, theatre, culture and cinematic pride. Goa, the festival’s long-standing home, forms the emotional heart of the procession, celebrating its cosmopolitan warmth and timeless bond with world cinema.

Marching alongside the states are grand cinematic tableaus from India’s leading production houses — each a moving universe of storytelling excellence. The mythic power of Akhanda 2, the emotional depth of Ram Charan’s Peddi, the creative force of Mythri Movie Makers, the iconic legacy of Zee Studios, the global vision of Hombale Films, the Odia heritage of Bindusagar, Ultra Media’s centenary homage to Guru Dutt, and the vibrant storytelling realm of WAVES OTT — all converge to showcase the boundless diversity of Indian cinema. Adding a historic dimension is the NFDC 50 Years Tableau, honouring five decades of nurturing filmmakers and fostering cinematic innovation across the nation.

Opening the parade with breathtaking energy is the Central Bureau of Communication’s “Bharat Ek Soor”, a spellbinding folk symphony featuring over a hundred artists from sixteen states. Bhangra meets Garba, Lavani flows into Ghoomar, Bihu breathes beside Chhau and Nati, culminating in a majestic Tricolour formation that embodies India’s unified cultural heartbeat.

Adding charm, nostalgia and delight are India’s beloved animation favourites — Chhota Bheem & Chutki, and Motu Patlu & Bittu Bahanebaaz — stepping off the screen to greet audiences with laughter, warmth and playful spirit.

The Opening Parade of IFFI 2025 is more than an inauguration; it is a cinematic overture and a cultural promise. As Goa prepares for this extraordinary beginning, IFFI invites the world to witness India not just as a nation of stories — but as a nation in motion, moving forward in one unforgettable rhythm.

Because when India moves, the world truly watches!

About IFFI

Born in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands tall as South Asia’s oldest and largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), State Government of Goa, the festival has grown into a global cinematic powerhouse—where restored classics meet bold experiments, and legendary maestros share space with fearless first-timers. What makes IFFI truly sparkle is its electric mix—international competitions, cultural showcases, masterclasses, tributes, and the high-energy WAVES Film Bazaar, where ideas, deals and collaborations take flight. Staged against Goa’s stunning coastal backdrop from November 20–28, the 56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices—an immersive celebration of India’s creative brilliance on the world stage.

For more information, Click on:  https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2190381

IFFI Website: https://www.iffigoa.org/

PIB’s IFFI Microsite: https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56new/

PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F

X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB_India, @PIB_Panaji

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Ritu Shukla/Sayyid Rabeehashmi/ Swadhin Shaktiprasad/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 - 014