#IFFIWood, 22 November 2025

At the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI), filmmaker Harold Domenico Rossi offered an intimate glimpse into the making of his film Pescador—a project born from his experiences while being in a medically induced coma. “During that difficult period, I kept seeing oceans. The sense of isolation was overwhelming,” he shared while addressing a Presser today. His teammates Producer Barbara Anne Rasiel and Cinematographer and producer Isaac Joseph Banks were also present with him.

“Pescador became my way of translating that emotional distance and longing for connection onto the screen.” Rossi recalled the challenges of filming at sea with humour and candour. “Every single filmmaker in history warns you: don’t shoot a movie on a boat. I didn’t listen,” he laughed. “But I soon realised why they say it. Shooting on real fisherman boats in the open ocean—and deep in the jungle—was incredibly demanding. But the authenticity it brought was worth every struggle.”

The director also revealed that the film’s central fisherman character is played by a non-actor. “We took a chance—and it paid off. His natural presence gave the film its soul.”

Producer Barbara Anne Rasiel described Pescador as a “truly international collaboration,” with an equal mix of cast and crew from the United States and Costa Rica. “We lived and worked together, shared cultures, learned each other’s languages—it was one of the most unique experiences of my life,” she said.

Cinematographer and producer Isaac Joseph Banks highlighted the visual language of the film: “Harold and I built two distinct visual approaches for the two main characters. That contrast shaped the storytelling in a powerful way.”

With its raw emotional core, international spirit and daring ocean-front production, Pescador emerges as one of IFFI 2025’s most personal and visually striking works.

SYNOPSIS OF THE FILM

The lives of an American sister, her brother, and a Costa Rican fisherman intersect in the waters of life and death. In part one, a Young American Scientist travels across the staggering vistas and harsh jungles of Costa Rica, searching for a mythical fish and straining the limits of human connection. After a desperate act, she falls asleep on a bus and the film starts over. In part two, a magical lobster grants a lonely fisherman his greatest wish: fatherhood. The Fisherman finds the Scientist’s Brother adrift at sea and nurses him to health. The Brother is hellbent on escape, but, slowly, he accepts help, learns to fish, and integrates into the Fisherman’s community– until their fragile bond is upended. Pescador asks: What do you sacrifice for isolation? What do you risk in vulnerability and connection?

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.

Link to watch the Press Conference:

For more information, click on:

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

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Sayyid Rabeehashmi/Nikita Joshi/Saurabh Khekde/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 - 037