IFFI 2025: Goa opens first-ever carnival parade, premieres Gabriel Mascaro’s ‘The Blue Trail’, and launches WAVES Film Bazaar
The 56th International Film Festival of India began on Wednesday (November 19, 2025) with a colourful, new departure from decades of protocol, replacing its customary indoor inauguration with a large-scale public parade through Panaji. The shift, led jointly by the State government and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, drew several thousand people to DB Road, where floats, dance troupes and film personalities marked the start of the nine-day event.
The parade, which moved from the Old Goa Medical College building to the Kala Academy, featured more than two dozen floats, including 12 from the Goa government. They highlighted themes ranging from Indian animation to regional film cultures and centenaries of major filmmakers. A large contingent of folk performers presented “Bharat Ek Soor,” produced by the Central Bureau of Communication, with more than 100 dancers showcasing dance styles and traditions from across India. Other floats paid tribute to five decades of the National Film Development Corporation, the centenary of the filmmaker Guru Dutt, and Indian horror cinema.
A float passes by onlookers at the opening carnival parade at the 56th International Film Festival of India, Goa
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Special Arrangement
Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, opening the festival alongside Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan, said the redesigned ceremony reflects IFFI’s ambition to expand its reach. “IFFI has become a meaningful platform for creative exchange and collaboration,” he said, adding that Goa’s cosmopolitan character continues to draw cinephiles in large numbers. In his remarks, the Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant positioned the State as an emerging filmmaking destination supported by new production policies and infrastructure.
Chief guests, film personalities and other dignitaries await the opening carnival parade at the 56th International Film Festival of India, Goa
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Special Arrangement
The parade prominently featured Telugu-language cinema during the opening carnival. Floats dedicated to films such as Akhanda 2: Thaandavam and the upcoming Peddi, along with a larger tableau representing Andhra Pradesh, drew wide attention. Models of N.T. Rama Rao as Krishna and Prabhas as Baahubali appeared alongside lookalikes of other Telugu stars, prompting a wave of selfies and crowds pressing forward to greet them. Nandamuri Balakrishna’s 50 years in cinema was marked with a warm felicitation, where Union Minister L. Murugan and Chief Minister Sawant honoured him with a ceremonial shawl and a bouquet of flowers in recognition of his milestone.
Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, and Union Minister L. Murugan honour Nandamuri Balakrishna’s for his 50 years in cinema at the opening ceremony of the 56th International Film Festival of India, Goa.
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Special Arrangement
The opening ceremony also saw other prominent figures including Anupam Kher, Shekhar Kapur, Garth Davis, Prakash Magdum, Sreeleela and more.
The Blue Trail opens the festival
The opening film, Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail, premiered at INOX Panjim shortly after the parade. The cast, including María Alejandra Rojas, Arturo Salazar RB and Clarissa Pinheiro, joined Mascaro on the red carpet. The Brazilian feature, which won the Silver Bear – Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, follows a 77-year-old woman who undertakes a voyage through the Amazon amid a dystopian political climate in Brazil.
Nandamuri Balakrishna, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant pose alongside director Gabriel Mascaro and the cast and crew of ‘The Blue Trail’ at the 56th International Film Festival of India, Goa.
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Festival director Shekhar Kapur, introducing the screening, praised the film’s emotional clarity. Mascaro described his work as a meditation on purpose and self-definition later in life.
WAVES Film Bazaar opens with new initiatives
Earlier in the day, South Asia’s largest film market, the Waves Film Bazaar, opened at the Marriott Resort in Panjim. Formerly known as Film Bazaar, the film shopping event now operates under a revamped identity and runs from November 20 to 24. More than 300 film projects are part of its curated sections, including the Screenwriters’ Lab, Viewing Room, Market Screenings and Co-Production Market. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, described the Bazaar as a “complete ecosystem” linking filmmakers, distributors and sales agents.
Soth Korean National Assembly member Jaewon Kim innaugurates the WAVES Film Bazaar, flanked by Anupam Kher, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan and other dignitaries.
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A highlight of the ceremony came from Jaewon Kim, a member of the National Assembly of South Korea and former Kpop singer, who delivered a rendition of “Vande Mataram” to mark the 150th anniversary of India’s national song. The performance drew a standing ovation.
Festival lineup and programming
This year’s IFFI includes over 240 films from 81 countries, among them 13 world premieres, five international premieres and 44 Asian premieres. Japan has been named Country of Focus, and six Japanese titles will be screened. The festival received a record 2,314 submissions.
Audiences catch the opening film, Gabriel Mascaro’s ‘The Blue Trail at INOX Panjim to mark the start of the 56th International Film Festival of India, Goa.
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Special Arrangement
The competition jury is chaired by filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The schedule includes 21 masterclasses, featuring speakers such as Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Aamir Khan, Anupam Kher and editor Sreekar Prasad. Restored classics will commemorate the centenaries of Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P. Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika and Salil Chowdhury.
The Indian Panorama section includes 25 feature films and 20 non-features, with Amaran opening the feature category and Kakori opening the non-feature slate. The festival will honour Rajinikanth at the closing ceremony for his 50-year career.
The nine-day program continues through November 28, with screenings and industry sessions across venues in Panaji and Porvorim.
Published – November 21, 2025 12:02 am IST
