IFFI 2026: Goa to Host 57th International Film Festival of India

Goa will host the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) from November 20 to 28, 2026. Running under the theme “Stories Without Borders,” the nine-day event unites global filmmakers, actors, and cinema enthusiasts on India’s western coast.

Organizers received more than 1,900 film submissions from 137 countries this year. The final lineup features over 150 international films from 86 nations, celebrating diverse languages and storytelling traditions. Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant unveiled the official festival program during a Curtain Raiser Press Conference at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon. He highlighted state preparations across screening venues, hospitality, and transport. Senior leaders attending the launch included Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar, Entertainment Society of Goa Vice Chairperson M. Delilah M. Lobo, NFDC Chairperson Krishna Kumar, Festival Director Ashutosh Gowariker, and filmmakers Madhur Bhandarkar and Himanshu Shekhar Khatua.

Theme: Stories Without Borders

The 2026 theme, “Stories Without Borders,” celebrates how cinema unites audiences across geographic and linguistic divides. Secretary Chanchal Kumar recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s observation that while stories have an address, human emotions cross every border. Festival Director Ashutosh Gowariker and NFDC Managing Director Dheeraj Singh also emphasized how universal narratives strengthen international cultural exchange.

Opening, Mid-Fest, and Closing Films

IFFI 2026 anchors its nine-day schedule with three acclaimed international selections:

• Opening Film: Fatherland, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski. Winner of Best Director at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, this drama follows Nobel laureate Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika across divided post-war Germany in 1949.
• Mid-Fest Film: I Matter, directed by Alina Șerban. This 101-minute co-production from Romania, Germany, and Belgium features dialogues in Romanian and Romani.
• Closing Film: We Are All Strangers, directed by Anthony Chen. Representing Singapore, this 157-minute feature blends Mandarin and English dialogues.

Country of Honour: Spain & Partner Country: Russia

IFFI 2026 spotlights two major filmmaking nations through dedicated country showcases:

• Spain (Country of Honour): Audiences will watch four Spanish features—The Bad Son (dir. Jaime Lorente), Trinidad, Bitter Christmas (dir. Pedro Almodóvar), and Persegiuiendo a Michael (dir. Jaime Machia).
• Russia (Partner Country): The Russian showcase presents four titles—Four (Четыре), New Home, Bo Bo (dir. Anastasia Kuzina), and Sidney Lumet’s Birthday.

New Program Segments and BRICS Cinema Focus

To expand its creative scope, IFFI 2026 introduces two brand-new segments, each screening five curated titles:

1. Animation: Showcases innovative visual storytelling and modern animated filmmaking.
2. Films About Films: Created at the suggestion of veteran filmmakers, this section explores the behind-the-scenes craft of cinema.

Additionally, a special BRICS Cinema Focus will screen titles from all 11 BRICS member countries and partner nations, opening with India’s epic Ramayana.

Indian Panorama and Global Debut Competition

The prestigious Indian Panorama section will screen 76 films across 18 Indian languages, selected from 404 feature and 358 non-feature entries alongside 46 eligible OTT web series submissions. The Hindi feature Dhurandhar and the Ladakhi non-feature film Becoming will jointly open the Indian Panorama.

Meanwhile, the Best Debut Feature Films Competition spotlights seven international first-time directors:

• Fading Man (Germany)
• The Sledge (India)
• Paris (Belgium)
• The Black Sea (Egypt)
• L’Âge d’Or / The Golden Age (France and Italy)
• Birds on Ice (India)
• Atlantic (China)

Promoting inclusive storytelling, the overall festival brings together 52 women filmmakers and 62 debut directors, including 10 women and 12 debutants competing in official sections.

Talent Incubation, WAVES Film Bazaar, and Masterclasses

Beyond screenings, IFFI drives industry growth and youth mentorship:

• Creative Minds of Tomorrow (CMOT): The sixth edition selects 100 young talents across 13 filmmaking crafts for workshops, a Talent Camp, and a 48-hour filmmaking challenge.
• WAVES Film Bazaar: Connects 150 invited buyers and producers via the Screenwriters’ Lab, Co-production Market, Viewing Room, and Work-in-Progress Lab. Netflix serves as the Knowledge Series partner, highlighting VFX capacity-building alongside the Gala Premiere of Pushpak Viman and an international screening of Ray Gunn.
• Kala Academy Sessions: Hosts 14 masterclasses and panel discussions from November 21 to 27 covering documentary cinema, casting, subtitling, and women in world cinema.

Centenary Tributes, Restored Classics, and Venues

IFFI 2026 honors Polish master Andrzej Wajda with a five-film centenary retrospective alongside five titles in the Restored Classics section. The festival also celebrates the birth centenaries of Indian cinema icons Shakti Samanta, Raj Khosla, Uttam Kumar, Suryakant Mandhare, Prem Nazir, Raj Kumar, O. P. Nayyar, and Ravi.

Screenings will span 13 indoor screens across four Goan locations with a combined capacity exceeding 4,000 seats: seven screens in Panaji (INOX, Maquinez, Samrat, and Ashoka), INOX Porvorim, Ravindra Bhavan Margao, and Magic Movie Ponda. Founded in 1952 and organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, NFDC, and the Entertainment Society of Goa, IFFI remains one of Asia's premier celebrations of global cinema.

Festival Snapshot: 57th IFFI 2026