At the curtain raiser of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, announced the winner of the Satyajit Ray Lifetime achievement award. “We will present the prestigious award to Carlos Saura, a 90-year-old Spanish filmmaker, photographer and writer,” stated the minister.
The film gala will be held in Panaji, Goa from November 20 to 28. Three movies starring Asha Parekh, will be screened, too. The Dadasaheb Phalke awardee chose Teesri Manzil (1966), Do Badan (1966)and Kati Patang (1971) for the same, informed Ravinder Bhakar, managing director, National Film Development Corporation of India.
To mark 50 years of Manipur in cinema, five Manipuri films, including Ishanou (The Chosen One) and Ratan Thiyam – the Man of the Theatre, will be showcased. At the Indian Panorama section, two films — Chello Show (2021)and India Lockdown — will have a special screening, along with five other classics restored by NFDC under the Indian Restored Classic Section.
In the homage section, tributes will be paid to singer Lata Mangeshkar, singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj and actors Ramesh Deo, T. Rama Rao, among others. In the international tribute section, movies by filmmakers Pier Paolo Pasolini and Jean Luc Godard will be screened.
As for the film bazaar, Bhaker revealed that the viewing room has received 248 entries in 33 spoken languages for screening. About 20 films will be presented at bazaar recommends section.
Oscar winning film Gandhi will be screened in the Divyangjan (visually impaired) section, with embedded audio descriptions and subtitles, to promote inclusivity.
Major attractions at IFFI 2022 will include Shigmotsav (Spring festival), Goa Carnival, 53-hour-challenge of 75 creative minds, country and state pavillions at the film bazaar and more.