51st IFFI announces stellar line-up of films for OTT platform

Masterclasses, in-conversation sessions, live telecast, screening at OTT platform, Q&A sessions and film appreciation sessions all move online at this year’s IFFI edition due to the inability of filmmakers and enthusiasts from across the world to travel to Goa thanks to the raging Coronavirus pandemic

| JANUARY 16, 2021, 01:02 AM IST
51st IFFI announces stellar line-up of films for OTT platform

#TGLIFE

The 51st Edition of Asia’s oldest and India’s biggest festival, The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which is to be held in Goa from 16th January to 24th January 2021, has announced a line-up of programmes that will be showcased on the OTT platform during the festival. 

Taking into account the ongoing pandemic, International Film Festival of India is holding its first ever ‘hybrid’ Film festival which means the festival will comprise both online and in-person modes of participation. 

Therefore, cine enthusiasts, film students, media persons, and the general public can watch the film screenings, master classes, and film appreciation classes by FTII from the comfort of their homes.

Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, starring actor Mads Mikkelsen, will be the opening film at the upcoming 51st edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

A total of 224 films will be screened under different sections at the 51st IFFI, which will be organised in a hybrid format in the wake of the pandemic. The festival will also mark world premier of “Mehrunisa”. The film by Sandeep Kumar will premier mid-fest. Starring actor Farrukh Jaffar, the movie narrates the story of a woman’s lifelong dream.

Japanese historical drama Wife of a Spy, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, will also have its India premiere at the upcoming nine-day film gala. Wife of a Spy first released in Japan as a television movie in June last year. A theatrical version of the film was selected in the main competition section of the 77th Venice International Film Festival and won the Silver Lion.

The movie features actors Yu Aoi and Issey Takahashi.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that 20 non-feature and 23 feature films, including “Saand Ki Aankh” and Sushant Singh Rajput’s “Chhichhore”, are going to be screened as a part of the Indian Panorama section at the 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The jury’s choice for the opening Non-Feature film of Indian Panorama, 2020 is Paanchika directed by Ankit Kothari.

Under the Indian Panorama section, three Mainstream films are also selected by an Internal Committee of DFF based on the recommendations of the Films Federation of India (FFI) and producer's Guild.

IFFI, which takes place in Goa from November 20-28 every year, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will now be held from January 16 to January 24.

Opening Film: Another Round

Another Round is a 2020 Danish comedy drama film, directed by Thomas Vinterberg, from a screenplay by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm. It stars Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, and Lars Ranthe. The theme song of the film is "What a Life" by Scarlet Pleasure.

It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2020. It was released in Denmark on 24 September 2020 by Nordisk Film, and was shown at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2020.[3] It was selected as the Danish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.[4]

The film, which is Denmark’s official entry for Oscars 2020, revolves around four weary high school teachers experimenting with the liberating effects of alcohol.

Another Round had its in-cinema world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2020. At the San Sebastian International Film Festival the movie won the Silver Shell for best actor for Mikkelsen and co-stars Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe as well as Silver Shell for best director for Vinterberg. It was also part of Cannes Film Festival’s official selection.

Country in Focus: Bangladesh

4 films from Bangladesh have been included in this section to recognise the cinematic excellence and contribution of the country.

Jibondhuli 

by TanvirMokammel

Jibondhuli tells the story of a drummer and his family during the Liberation War of Bangladesh against Pakistan in 1971. 

Meghmallar 

by Zahidur Rahim Anjan

This is an adaption of writer Akhtaruzzaman Elias's story Raincoat. It is a sensitive film that portrays an ordinary family that goes through a life-altering experience due to the conflict of the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh. In the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, it was screened in the Discovery section.

Under Construction 

by Rubaiyat Hossain

The story is focused on a modern Muslim woman that struggles to find a place in the urban sprawl of Bangladesh.

Sincerely Yours, Dhaka 

by Nuhash Humanyun, Syed Ahmed Shawki, and 9 other individual directors.

The story revolves around the life of people living at the margins in the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. The film is directed by 11 directors from Bangladesh. At the 93rd Academy Awards, it was selected as Bangladesh's entry for Best International Feature Film.

World Panorama Section

This list consists of a total of 50 films from across the world, the maximum number of which are from Germany. 

This is followed by France with 6 films. Laurent Micheli's Lola is an entry from both France and Belgium, while Illum Jacobi's The Trouble With Nature is an entry from France and Denmark and many more 

The line up also includes three films from America –Atlantic City Story, Funny Face, and This Is My Desire, which is an entry from Nigeria as well

Greece and the Netherlands have one individual entry each while they also share one film which is Janis Rafa's, Kala Azar. The individual entry from Greece is TassosGerakinis'. A Simple Man and the individual entry from the Netherlands is JelleNesna's Buiten Is Het Feest

Other films in the line up include Igor Ivanov's 'Only Human' from Macedonia, TanvirMokammel's RupsaNodirBanke from Bangladesh, Saman Salour's 3 PUFF from Andorra, ErnarNurgaliev's Zhanym, Ty Ne Poverish, from Kazakhstan, Mario Barroso's Moral Order, from Portugal, Bogdan George Apetri's Unidentified from Romania, and Cristiane Oliveira's The First Death Of Joana from Brazil

Lifetime achievement award: Vittorio Storaro 

Renowned Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro Storaro is best known for his work in the films like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970, The Conformist (1970), Last Tango in Paris (1972), 1900 (1976), Apocalypse Now (1979), Reds (1981), The Last Emperor (1987), Dick Tracy (1990), Café Society (2016) and Wonder Wheel (2017).

He has received three Academy Awards for Best Cinematography for the films Apocalypse Now (1979), Reds (1981), and The Last Emperor (1987), and is one of three living persons who has won the award three times.

SPECIAL TRIBUTE: SATYAJIT RAY 

This year’s IFFI will pay special tribute to celebrated filmmaker Satyajit Ray for his priceless contribution to Indian cinema on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary

The renowned filmmaker contributed to the world of cinema as a director, screenwriter, music composer, graphic artist, lyricist and writer. 

Some of classic works of legendary filmmaker will be screened at the festival as a treat to the hundreds and thousands of cine enthusiasts: Charulata (1964), Ghare Baire (1984), Pather Panchali (1955), Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Sonar Kella (1974).

Satyajit Ray, who is believed to have changed the face of Indian cinema forever, was a powerhouse of talent. He has many acknowledgements to his credits, including 32 National film Awards and an honorary degree by Oxford University

He is the first Indian filmmaker who was awarded an honorary Oscar for his contribution to the cinematic universe.


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