Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur today announced that 54th International Film Festival will be held from 20th to 28th November, 2023, in Goa. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Thakur said that ranked 5th largest market globally, India’s media and entertainment industry is a force to reckon with. He added that this market is growing every year with an average annual growth of 20% in the last three years. The movies made in India have covered every corner of the country and are now reaching the distant corners of the world.
In his statement, the Minister stated that this year Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred on Mr Michael Douglas, a shining star of world cinema and who is known for his immense contribution in the cinematic universe.
Shri Thakur informed that the International Section of IFFI has seen a three times spike in number of films received and this is a display of the fascination of international film industry for IFFI.
Speaking about the newly introduced OTT awards, he said that since COVID19 pandemic OTT industry has seen a boom in India and original content created in India is employing thousands of people. In response to the dynamic landscape of this sector, growth of which stands at 28% annually, the Ministry has introduced this award celebrating the outstanding content creators on OTT platforms. He added that a total of 32 entries across 10 languages from 15 OTT platforms have been received and the winner will be awarded an amount of ten lakh rupees.
Shri Anurag Thakur spoke about the booming startup ecosystem in the country and Governments focus on creating a support system to nurture such entities. He added that to bolster the startup ecosystem in film sector, and to recognise talent from the remotest corners of the country, we had started the Creative Minds of Tomorrow initiative. The Minister informed that there are over 600 entries in this section for this year. This year’s selection of 75 winners will take the total of such winners to 225 in 3 years.
The Minster made a special mention that all the venues for this year’s IFFI will be inclusive with all facilities and access for specially-abled. Audio description for visually impaired, sign language for hearing impaired, dubbing of content in multiple languages will be symbolic of the mantra of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.
The Minister of State Dr L Murugan in his brief statement said that IFFI is one of the biggest film and cultural extravaganza of the world. He informed the audience that International Jury is being headed by acclaimed filmmaker Mr. Shekhar Kapur. Click here to view the details press release by the Government.
Founded in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands as one of Asia’s premier film festivals. Since its inception, IFFI has aimed to celebrate films, their captivating stories, and the talented individuals behind them. The festival seeks to promote and spread a deep appreciation and love for films, build bridges of understanding and camaraderie among people, and inspire them to reach new heights of individual and collective excellence.
IFFI is organized annually by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, in collaboration with the Entertainment Society of Goa, Government of Goa, the host state. While the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had generally been spearheading the festival, consequent to the merger of film media units with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), NFDC has taken over the conduct of the festival. For the latest updates on the 54th IFFI, visit the festival website at www.iffigoa.org and follow IFFI on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as the social media handles of PIB Goa.
