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IFFI 2024, 14: The State Minister, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting does a recce of the locations
When he was the Chief Minister of Goa, late Manohar Parrikar, personally supervised the upgrading of the roads and structures of the location, Panaji City. He was known as the most unassuming and hands-on Chief Minister in the country. That was in 2004, which was the year when Goa held its first IFFI. I personally saw him at work, doing all the duties that were demanded of a responsible...
IFFI 2024, 13: OOH La La Gala prèmieres and bouncers to protect the carpetbaggers
Gala premieres have become the most glamourous part of IFFI after it moved to Go, in 2004. They do draw audiences and photographers, but the regular film critic and film journalist is kept away from them. Camera and microphone men and women, who never bark but only byte, are the persons for whom this ceremony is engineered. Bouncers and other security personnel accompany the film team, as they are first l...
IFFI 2024, 13: OOH La La Gala prèmieres and bouncers to protect the carpetbaggers
Gala premieres have become the most glamourous part of IFFI after it moved to Go, in 2004. They do draw audiences and photographers, but the regular film critic and film journalist is kept away from them. Camera and microphone men and women, who never bark but only byte, are the persons for whom this ceremony is engineered. Bouncers and other security personnel accompany the film team, as they are first l...
IFFI 2024, 12: Creative Minds of tomorrow, and their five outstanding films
Creative Minds of Tomorrow (CMOT) is a platform designed to showcase the work of absolute beginners with enhanced to support 100 young talents, up from 75 in previous editions
The number of participants in this section are a full 100. Last year, 75 young talents were picked, to co-incide with the 75 years of Independence. Five CMOT Champions are being will be recognised for their exceptional journeys. As the largest ...
IFFI 2024, 11: The competition section for international recognition
At IFFFI Goa 2024, the competition films are divided into two sections: Indian Panorama and the international competetion section. We have already listed the Panorama films in an earlier post. Now let us see which films of which directors and from which countries these films come. All films are sub-titled in English, according to international norms. Their screenings are held as part of the regular daily schedule, and someti...
The Sabarmati Report, Review: Pass or fail?
One song that is closely associated with Sabarmati goes ‘Dey dee hamen aazaadee bina khadag bina dhal, Sabarmati key sant tooney kar diya kamaal.’ The Sant (Saint) in this context was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma (great spirit) Gandhi, whom it extolls, for gaining independence for India by, non-violent means. Outside Gujarat, Indians know Sabarmati as a river in Gujarat, and the Sabarmati Express as a train. Wherea...
IFFI 21024, 10: Five Indian films to compete for newly instituted DEBeaUTiful film award
With an aim to promote new and young talent in the country, the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has instituted a new award category: Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film, which will showcase five remarkable debut films that highlight new perspectives, diverse narratives, and innovative cinematic styles, from across India. IFFI, scheduled to be held from November 20-28...
IFFI, 2024, 09: In an era of wars & super violent films, let’s talk about Mahatma Gandhi & peace
ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal, a global award presented in partnership with (International Council for Film, Television and Audio-visual Communication (ICFT)/ Conseil International Du Cinéma, de la Télévision et de la Communication Audiovisuelle (CICT), Paris and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will have 10 films competing fo...
IFFI 2024, 08: Hounouring icons, late ANR, Tapan Sinha, Mohammed Rafi and RAJ KAPOOR
Doyens and maestros, late Raj Kapoor, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), Mohammed Rafi and Tapan Sinha will be honoured with the centenary tribute, in the 100th year of their birthday at 55th IFFI. The IFFI gala in Goa will celebrate cinematic legends by presenting restored versions of their classic films, throughout its nine-day event. The festival’s opening ceremony on November 20 will pay tribute to these...
IFFI 2024, 07: Caution: Work in Progress, active pitching at Film Bazaar for 4 days
The prestigious lab, based in South Asia's largest film market, has historically aimed to nurture emerging film-makers with developed projects before they reach audiences.
For selected film-makers, the WIP Lab is a unique opportunity to benefit from the expert guidance and constructive criticism on their projects in the necessarily final stages of the work.
Continuing to build upon this formula...
IFFI 2024, 06: The goods at the film bazaar, the barring of media at evening networking sessions and a media-unfriendly officer as the Head
At the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) the 18th edition of Film Bazaar will run from November 20 to 24, offering a dynamic platform for filmmakers and industry professionals to connect, collaborate and showcase their work.
This year, the Viewing Room returns to the Marriott Resort, featuring an enriched line up of good quality films from...
Dhai Aakhar: Merely two-and-a-half letters of an alphabet arouse great expectations
Dhai means two-and-a-half, and Aakhar means akshar or the letters of the Hindi alphabet. The title is taken from a doha (simple, moralising poetry written in couplet form) by an Indian saint, Kabeer, centuries ago. The line goes ‘Dhai aakhar prem ka/key padhey so Pandit hoye’ (whoever reads the two-and-a half letters of the Devnagari alphabet, that add-up to mean love, will be a true seer). Co-prod...
Vijay 69, Review: VATs 69 in a name?
A story that looks very elevating and moralising on paper does not necessarily translate into an engaging film. Vijay 69 is one such film. It seems to have been made to showcase that Anupam Kher, who played an old man’s role in Mahesh Bhatt’s Saaransh (1984), when he was 29, can play such a role, as a 69 year-old at 69. That is a no-brainer. Forty years on, he has done 540 films and started an acting school, besides trying his hand at directio...
The Sabarmati Report, Trailer launch: Express train. Engine Arrival Time in Mumbai: 06 November 2024, Departure: Unknown
On 27 February, 2002, one compartment of the Ahmedabad-Varanasi Sabarmati Express train went-up in flames at a railway station in Godhra Junction, killing 59 passengers and injuring 48. Many politicians and media-persons equated this with the 9-11 attacks, on 09 September, 2001, on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, of the USA, and other places, in which 2,997 peopl...
Navras Katha Collage, Review: It might get a few ‘awards’, for….
Comedian Jerry Lewis, in the top league during the 50s and 60s, made a breakthrough movie in 1965, called The Family Jewels. Breakthrough, because he played seven roles in the film, all brothers, besides co-writing and directing it. I have been unlucky not to have seen this reportedly hilarious experiment, but I came close when I saw an Indian, Hindustani film, Naya Din, Nayi Raat (NDNR). Nine years after The ...
IFFI 2024, 05: The ‘other’ jury
Besides feature films, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has section of documentary and short films, broadly classified as the ‘other’ Jury. India also holds a Mumbai International Film Festival bi-annually, in February-March. Hitherto, it used to be organised the Films Division, now amalgamated with the National Film Development Corporation (MIFF). Guess, even that will be organised by NFCD.
We have written about the Fe...
IFFI 2024, 04: Delegates Hazaar at Film Bazaar
Around 1,000 (hazaar, in Hindustani) delegates, from abroad as well as Indian are expected to attend the Bazaar this year. The Bazaar runs parallel to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024. It opens on 24th November, at the Marriott Hotel, Panaji, Goa, and is on till 28 November, both days inclusive. Delegates include festival programmers, sales agents, distributors, financiers, filmmakers, producers, book publishers and...
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3: Grotesque? Yes. Burlesque: Yes. Statuesque? Yes. Humouresque: No. Maze: Yes. Amazing: No
Bhool Bhulaiya literally means a maze or labyrinth, in Hindustani language. This one refers to the Adventures of a Fake Ghostbuster and his Pygmy Partner, who collapses at the slightest sign of danger. They are as fake as the royal family they are summoned to, to perform the task of busting the ghost of a princess, who was imprisoned in a large room, with heavy padlocks, 200 years ago. ...
IFFI, other Film Festivals, and the Media: Partners or undesirables?
When the first film festival as held in Bombay in the year 1952, by the Films Division, 30 years after the first international film festival was held in Venice, nobody would have expected we would be holding the 55th edition in 2024. In the 50s and early 60s, festivals were not held in India regularly, only sporadically. In the 70s it became an annual feature, hence only 55 festivals are spread over 72 years. Since then, it ha...
IFFI 2024, 03: When you want to know where is the venue
Opening & Closing Venue
DR. SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJEE INDOOR STADIUM
Goa University, MDR3, Taleigao, Goa 403206
Screening Venues
INOX Panaji
INOX Porvorim
Maquinez Palace
Miramar Beach
Ravindra Bhavan, Fatorda
Anjuna Beach
Masterclasses & In-Conversation Sessions
Kala Academy
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IFFI 2024, 02: To market, to mark it!
Market Screenings, previously known as Industry Screenings, serve as a crucial platform for filmmakers to showcase their films to sales agents, distributors, producers, and festival programmers from around the world. These screenings play a pivotal role in promoting and marketing films in the international market, providing talented filmmakers with opportunities to establish valuable connections and secure distribution deals. The 18th edition of Market Sc...
International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024 will mark its 55th edition. It will be held in Goa from 20th to 28th November. Film enthusiasts can log on to https://my.iffigoa.org/ to register their names. While film professionals and cinema enthusiasts can register themselves by paying a fee of Rs. 1,180, students get free access to panels and screenings with an allowance of 4 tickets per day. Interested delegates can create a ‘My-IFFI’ account at https://my.iffigoa.org/ to ac...
Katha Collage, Review: It might get a few ‘awards’, for….
Comedian Jerry Lewis, in the top league during the 50s and 60s, made a breakthrough movie in 1965, called The Family Jewels. Breakthrough, because he played seven roles in the film, all brothers, besides co-writing and directing it. I have been unlucky not to have seen this reportedly hilarious experiment, but I came close when I saw an Indian, Hindustani film, Naya Din, Nayi Raat (NDNR). Nine years after The Family ...
Sonu Nigam on Society Achievers’ September cover: Surprise?
Kirti Azad has been there. If cricket and politics can make you a society achiever, why can’t singing? Society Achievers continues the legacy of late Nari Hira’s Lana (La for Lalu Bajaj and Na for Nari) Publishing Company, which has undergone several changes since its formation in the early 1970s, as Lana Publishing Company, Magna Publishing Company, HiBa. Hi for Hira and Ba for Bajaj, his partner, a swimming champi...
Kanguva teaser, trailer and songs launch: Everybody loves everybody else
Suriya Sivakumar, Disha Patani, Bobby Deol, K. E. Gnanavel Raja, Jayantilal Gada and Devi Sri Prasad was the quorum this afternoon at the Fun Republic, Andheri, Auditorium 2. Director Siva was busy giving finishing touches to the film, and excused himself, but Suriya said that he was extremely excited at the Mumbai event, but just could not fly down. But they were nowhere to be seen when I arrived, horribly late for a 12...
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About Siraj Syed
 Syed Siraj
(Siraj Associates)
Siraj Syed is a film-critic since 1970 and a Former President of the Freelance Film Journalists' Combine of India.
He is the India Correspondent of FilmFestivals.com and a member of FIPRESCI, the international Federation of Film Critics, Munich, Germany
Siraj Syed has contributed over 1,015 articles on cinema, international film festivals, conventions, exhibitions, etc., most recently, at IFFI (Goa), MIFF (Mumbai), MFF/MAMI (Mumbai) and CommunicAsia (Singapore). He often edits film festival daily bulletins.
He is also an actor and a dubbing artiste. Further, he has been teaching media, acting and dubbing at over 30 institutes in India and Singapore, since 1984.
Bandra West, Mumbai India View my profileSend me a message
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