Since 1952, India has hosted 55 editions of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) both competitive and non-competitive. The festival became an annual event from 1975 onwards. The 56th edition of the festival which includes a competition for feature films from all continents will be held in Goa.
The Festival is being organized by the National Film Development Corporation of India Ltd (NFDC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in collaboration with the State Government of Goa and the Indian Film Industry. The Festival is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers' Associations (FIAPF). 56th IFFI will screen selected films at dedicated festival venues in Goa.
Celebrating the Joy of Cinema
The Festival aims at providing a common platform for film-makers of the world to project their excellence in film art; contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations in the context of their social and cultural ethos; and promoting friendship and co-operation among people of the world.
In its 55 th edition, IFFI received 1811 entries from 114 countries. A total of 278 films from 81 countries were screened. Thisincludes 16 world premieres, 3 international premieres, 44 Asia premieres and 103 India premieres.
The 56th edition of IFFI will be held from November 20th – 28th, 2025 in Goa, India.
The festival programme is broadly divided into the following categories: -
i) International Competition for Feature Films (up to 15 numbers. Up to three Indian Films will be selected for this section. Fiction Films with a minimum duration of 72 minutes and above).
ii)Non-Competition (Cinema of the World) - for feature films from around the world including fiction and documentaries (Films with a minimum duration of 72 minutes and above).
iii) Curated packages(Indian&Foreign) and Special Screenings/Gala Premieres/Country Focus/Tribute/Animation/UNICEF etc.
iv) Indian Panorama - for Indian feature films, Indian Panorama Regulations 2025 will be applicable.
v) Masterclasses, In Conversation Sessions, Workshops and Talent Hub etc. physical and/or virtual in-person.
vi) IFFI Mela (Cine-Fair): Public engagement activitiesincluding cultural programmes and interactive exhibitions themed around films.
vii) Film Bazaar: IFFI also hosts the Film Bazaar, South Asia's largest and One of Asia's most prolific Film Markets showcasing rich content to potential buyers from different countries across the world. 19th edition of Film Bazaar will take place from 20th 24th November 2025.
viii) SATYAJIT RAY EXCELLENCE IN CINEMA AWARD : This prestigious award, instituted in the name of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, consisting of a cash prize of Rs. 10,00,000/-, certificate, shawl, Medal (Silver Peacock) and a scroll, is conferred upon a master filmmaker/film technicians/film personalities for their outstanding contribution to cinema. The festival annually invites a film maker/ film technicians/ film personalities of repute for this award. The Award was given to Mr. Phillip Noyce in IFFI 2024 and Mr. Michael Douglas in IFFI 2023.
ix) INDIAN FILM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD : This prestigious award consisting of a cash prize of Rs 10, 00,000/-, certificate,shawl and Medal (Silver Peacock) is conferred upon an Indian film personality fortheir outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. The Award was given to Mr. Vikrant Massey in IFFI 2024.
x) National Film Development Corporation Ltd reserves the right to exclude films that are not in conformity with the philosophy and objective of the festival, or which could offend the feelings/susceptibilities of any participating country, or are likely to promote discrimination of any kind.
Films entered in the International Competition MUST fulfil the following conditions:
a) Films must be fiction, feature-length films should not be not less than 72 minutes in duration and in original language sound-track with English Subtitles.
b) They must have been completed between 1st September 2024 and 31st August 2025. Eligibility will be determined by the declaration made by the entrant in the film entry form. For International films, where no proof is available, the date of the first theatrical screening will be considered as completion date/self-declaration by the applicant.
c) Except for Indian films, the entries in this section should not have been released/ shown on virtual/ OTT platforms/ physically in India or presented in any other Indian Film Festivals before.
d) In the case of co-productions, the entrants must comply with article 15.3 of the Festival’s regulations and therefore have the right to sanction the participation of the film in The International Competition and also sanction the authority to receive awards, if the film wins any.
e) Entrants must agree that if their film/films win any of the Golden and/or Silver Peacock Awards, all screenings thereafter will acknowledge the Award(s) on the film itself.
f) Foreign Films for International Competition will be recommended by the Festival’s Preview Committee. Upto three Indian film entries in International Competition will be identified by the Indian Panorama Jury at the time of final selection of Indian Panorama Films for IFFI 2023. The Festival Director holds the right to consider the films that are not accepted for the International Competition as entries for the ‘World Panorama'/Cinema of the World” Section. However, the consent of the entrant shall be sought before selection and inclusion in the festival programme.
g) The competition will be held subject to the acceptance of a maximum of fifteen eligible films from different Continents/Countries. If selected for the International Competition, the entrant whose films would be awarded will be requested permission to provide the festival with a region-free PAL DVD/Blu-ray of the film for archival purposes.
h) The Jury for the International Competition will consist of a Chairman and not less than two and not more than four other members, of which one member will be from India.
i) The decisions of the jury will be taken by a simple majority of the members present and voting. The jury can evolve its own rules for the assessment of the entries. The Managing Director, NFDC and/or his representative can attend the jury deliberations but shall neither participate nor vote.
j) No person having taken part in the production or having any commercial interest in a competitive entry may be on the jury. All members of the jury will refrain from releasing any articles or reviews to the press concerning the film submitted for their judgment until the results of the final selection have been formally announced at the closing function.
k) Once the film has been selected and the right holder confirms her/his agreement, the film in the official programme shall not be withdrawn from the festival programme before or during the event. Withdrawal of film is subject to penalization for future editionssubject to the discretion of the Festival Management.
l) The National Film Development Corporation Ltd may organize screenings of the IFFI award-winning films in various other festivals held under its responsibility. The right holders of IFFI award-winning films will be requested permission for any screening of their film in such a framework.
m) The following prizes will be given away :- In the International Competition category, the awards (I) to (V) will be determined by the International Jury from amongst the 15 nominees:
(I) Best Film
a) A Cash prize of Rs. 40,00,000/- to be shared equally between the Director and Producer.
b) Director is to be given the Golden Peacock and a Certificate in addition to the cash component.
c) Producer to be given a Certificate in addition to the cash component.
(II) Best Director
Silver Peacock, Certificate and a cash prize of Rs.15,00,000/-
(III) Best Actor (Male)
Silver Peacock, Certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 10,00,000/-
(IV)Best Actor (Female)
Silver Peacock, Certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 10,00,000/-
(V) Special Jury Award
Silver Peacock, Certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 15,00,000/- given to a film (for any aspect of the film which the jury wishes to award/acknowledge) or an individual (for his/her artistic contribution to a film). The award, if given to a film, will be given to the Director of the film.
(VI) COMPETITION FOR BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM OF A DIRECTOR
a) The Award shall include the Silver Peacock, certificate and cash prize of Rs 10,00,000/- (To be given to a director for her/his best first feature film to recognize and encourage the most promising new directorialtalentin world cinema).
b) All entries for this Competition will be evaluated for eligibility and suitability for the Festival by its Programming Department headed by Artistic Director, IFFI . Shortlisted entries will be previewed by the Preview Committee which will further recommend up to 5 foreign films for the competition. Up to two Indian film entries in the Competition for Best Debut Feature Film of a Director will be identified by the Indian Panorama Jury at the time of final selection of Indian Panorama Films. The Festival Director holds the right to consider the films that are not accepted for the Best Debut Feature Film Competition as entries for the ‘Cinema of the World” or other curated sections of the Festival. However, consent of the entrant shall be sought before selection and inclusion in the festival programme.
c) Films entered for Award for the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director MUST fulfil the following conditions :-
i) Films must be first fiction feature films of the respective Directors. These should not be less than 72 minutes in duration in original language sound track with English Subtitles.
ii) They must have been completed between 1st September 2024 to 31st August 2025 (For Indian Feature Films, dates will be applicable as per Indian Panorama Regulations 2025). Eligibility will be determined by the declaration made by the entrant in the film entry form. For International films where no proof is available, the date of the first theatrical screening will be considered the completion date.
iii) Except for Indian films, the entries in this section should not have been released/ shown in India or presented in any other Indian Film Festivals before.
iv) Entrants must agree that if their film/films win the Award, all screenings thereafter will acknowledge the Award on the film itself.
(VII) ICFT UNESCO – Gandhi Medal Award
IFFI 2025 in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), Paris, will present a special ICFT prize consisting of the UNESCO Gandhi Medal awarded to a film which reflects the ideals promoted by UNESCO - especially: Tolerance, Intercultural Dialogue & Culture of Peace.
Broad guidelines for the selection of the films for the UNESCO Gandhi Medal:
a) Have a strong ethical component.
b) High aesthetic value.
c) Exhibit artistic excellence in screenplay, film technique and music.
d) Attract a wide audience, especially among youth, whose view of media is distorted by violent imagery and showy techniques which are devoid of intelligence and critical discernment.
e) Additionally include an educational component to cope with the flood of inappropriate imagery commonly marketed.
f) Awareness of the role of the filmmaker in confronting a declining society; because it is recognized that cinematographic and video images are much more powerful than any other means of communication.
The International Programming Department will evaluate the entries received for eligibility and suitability for the award. The Preview Committee will recommend up to 7 foreign films for this category. The Indian Panorama Jury will recommend up to 3 Indian films for this award.
The Award will be determined by the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal Jury which will be instituted by the ICFT Secretariat. Nominees will have to submit appropriate online screeners for the Jury to view and determine the awardee.
Entrantsfor competitive categoriesmust agree thatthe concerned professional willreceive the award in person, ifthe film/she/he wins any award. It is suggested that if the awardee is not able to personally attend the award function on the closing night for any reason, he or she should , in writing, nominate an immediate familymember or a colleague from the film i.e. it’s Producer orDirector to receive the award. National Film Development Corporation Ltd reservesthe right to cancel the cash component in case of the awardee(s) is unable present either herself/himself, or nominate a family member, orthe film’s Producer or Director at the award ceremony on the closing night.
a) Films for inclusion in this section, must be feature length, not lessthan 72 minutesin duration, in original language soundtrack with English Subtitles. English Language films should also preferably carry subtitles in English. For its curated packages, the Festival may relax the eligibility criteria of duration, subject to the merit of the film and the curatorial discretion for the segment. Fiction and documentary 6 features along with other forms of feature genres and aesthetics are eligible.
b) They must have been completed after 1st September 2024.
c) If selected for the World Panorama Section, the entrant(s) must provide a 35 mm print or a DCP with EST.
d) Films that have been presented in earlier editions of the International Film Festival of India, or already screened in India, will be excluded, unless previously agreed to by the Managing Director NFDC, in exceptional cases.
e) Non-competition and Curated Packages are subject to the artistic vision of the Festival and will be determined by the Artistic Director with inputs from the International Programming Department for international films, and Indian Panorama Department for Indian films.
The deadline for receiving applications and preview material is 31st August 2025. In case of the day being a holiday, the next working day will be considered as the deadline.
In case physical screeners are sent, they should reach us at National Film Development Corporation Ltd, New Delhi office before the above mentioned date. Please inscribe 'No commercial value for Cultural purposes only' on the parcel. The Festival will not bear the cost of transportation of preview material.
Film producers, distributors, or their duly authorized representatives or duly authorized Government organization/agency ofthe participating countries may entertheirfilms via the Film Freeway platform (https://filmfreeway.com/InternationalFilmFestivalofIndiaIFFI-Goa) after duly reading the Regulations.
a) Indian Films may submit their applications through the Indian Panorama, which will be opened and advertised in all the national dailies. The same will be available on the official website of the festival (https://www.iffigoa.org or https://nfdcindia.com) as well.
b) Enquiries for Film Bazaar may be addressed to : Head of Programming, Film Bazaar at (info@filmbazaar.com)
c) National Film Development Corporation Ltd may also invite films which it considers of interest.
a) DCPs of the films selected for exhibition in the festival must be received on or before 15th October, 2025, whether online or in physical form. The Festival prefers online transfer of DCPs with KDMs for entire festival period. If sent through physical mode, prints should only be sent to the festival Office in Goa through the official freight handlers of the festival, as per the instructions given by the festival print unit. National Film Development Corporation Ltd will not be responsible for any repercussions arising from deviation of the print dispatch instructions issued by the print unit.
b) Arrangements have been made forspecial express clearance of film consignments addressed to the National Film Development Corporation Ltd through the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Government of India. National Film Development Corporation Ltd will not be responsible for any repercussions arising from deviation of the print dispatch instructions issued by the print unit.
c) After conclusion of the festival, the final screening materials shall be returned through air- freight or diplomatic channels, as per specific written instructions received from the film right holder. The festival would bear only one-way freight. Wherever previously agreed upon by the festival, the festival will also be undertaking the actual cost of return freight charges (both ways) but will not be liable for payment of customs, duties, freight handler'sfees etc., outside India. It will be borne solely by the film recipient.
The Insurance of DCP prints in transit from the country of origin to the National Film Development Corporation Ltd and from the National Film Development Corporation Ltd to the country of origin will be the responsibility of the entrant. The National Film Development Corporation Ltd will insure the prints against damage, partial and total, by fire, theft or any other unnatural causes from the moment it takes delivery of the prints to the moment it hands them back to the concerned airline/agency for dispatch, in conformity with Addendum 1 of the FIAPF Regulations for International Film Festivals. Technical complaints regarding the returned screening copymust be reported to the festival in writing within 5 days after being received.
a) In case the DCPs are being sent in physical form, the same should be sent "freight pre-paid" i.e. at the sender's cost. After the Festival, the DCP's will be returned to the senders by air freight at the cost of the National Film Development Corporation Ltd.
b) The National Film Development Corporation Ltd will not pay any charges other than the air-freight charges. It may also be noted that the National Film Development Corporation Ltd cannot reimburse any freight or other charges in foreign currency, unless previously agreed to in writing.
c) The National Film Development Corporation Ltd will not bear freight or any other charges for unsolicited films, Videos or DVDs sent to it if these are not selected for screening in the Festival.
Films will only be screened in their original language/version with English Subtitles. The Festival prefers English language films to also carry English Subtitles. Non-English Films without English subtitles will not be screened at the festival and they will also not be subtitled by the Festival.
a) For screening at IFFI, all films need to either have been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification, India or need to have obtained exemption under Section 9 of Cinematograph Act, 1952. The Festival will undertake formalities on behalf of all uncertified selected films for exemption from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Certified films or filmsin process of certification must complete their certification and submit the certificate to the Festival prior to its commencement.
b) The accepted films will not be shown outside the Festival zone by the National Film Development Corporation Ltd, without written consent of the right holder.
c) The Festival proposes to have a maximum of five screenings per selected films as per FIAPF Regulations for International Film festivals and for the competitive specialized festivals which allow for a maximum of five screenings per film.
For promotion of films entered in the Festival on television, producers/authorized entrants are requested to supply four excerpts of the film(s) entered, each of a maximum of three minutes, to the National Film Development Corporation Ltd. High Resolution uncompressed video of the same may be sent in a digital format.
a) Classroom, Corporate and advertising films are not eligible for participation in any section.
b) Final screening material must comply with technical standards specified by SMPTE for screening at International Film Festivals. National Film Development Corporation Ltd reserves the right to refuse screening if found otherwise.
c) The participants must ensure that they have the right to participate in the International Film Festival of India with regard to parties connected with the production /distribution of the participating film and /or other right holders/licenses. In the case of competition entries, the entrants must ensure that they have the right to sanction participation of the film for the award and also sanction the authority to receive awards, if the film wins any.
d) Participation in the Festival implies acceptance of these Regulations.
e) The Managing Director, National Film Development Corporation Ltd will decide all matters not expressly provided for in these regulations but in conformity with the provisions of the International Regulations for film festivals and her/his decisions shall be final and binding on all Parties.
DCP screeners for the selection & all film printssent through diplomatic channels can be sent at the following office in New Delhi. All correspondence, publicity materials, DCP of the selected films should also be addressed to :
Managing Director
International Film Festival of India
National Film Development Corporation Ltd
Siri Fort Auditorium Complex
August Kranti Marg, Khel Gaon
New Delhi 110 049, India.
Tel: +91-11-2649352 | +91-11-2649356
E-Mail: programming@nfdcindia.com
WEBSITES: (online application)
http://www.iffigoa.org
www.nfdcindia.com
https://filmfreeway.com/InternationalFilmFestivalofIndiaIFFI-Goa