The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has unveiled its International Competition slate, featuring 15 feature films competing for the prestigious Golden Peacock award and a total prize money of INR 90 lakh (approximately $101,500). The competition comprises 12 international titles and three Indian films, with an international jury led by acclaimed Indian filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
The distinguished jury panel includes editor-director Graeme Clifford from Australia, German actor Katharina Schüttler, Sri Lankan filmmaker Chandran Rutnam, and British cinematographer Remi Adefarasin. The Golden Peacock winner will receive INR 40 lakh ($45,115), along with additional prizes for Best Director, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female), and a Special Jury Prize.
### International Selections
Among the international entries, Fatih Akin’s *Amrum* premiered at Cannes 2025. Co-written by veteran German filmmaker Hark Bohm, this German-Turkish historical drama follows a 12-year-old boy living on the North Sea island of Amrum during the final days of World War II.
Simón Mesa Soto’s *A Poet* (*Un Poeta*), which won the Jury Prize in Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2025, represents Colombia’s submission for the 98th Academy Awards. The tragicomedy centers on aging poet Oscar Restrepo and his mentorship of a talented young girl named Yurlady.
French filmmaker Diane Kurys returns with *C’est Si Bon* (*Moi qui t’aimais*), a romance chronicling the final years of the relationship between Simone Signoret and Yves Montand, which also premiered at Cannes 2025.
*Little Trouble Girls* (*Kaj ti je deklica*), directed by Urška Djukić, marks a Slovenian debut that premiered at Berlin 2025. This coming-of-age film about an all-girl choir’s retreat is Slovenia’s official Oscar entry.
Italian sisters Valentina and Nicole Bertani’s *Mosquitoes* (*Le bambine*), nominated for the Golden Leopard at Locarno 2025, is an offbeat coming-of-age comedy-drama set in 1990s Italy, following three girls navigating adolescence.
Johanna Moder’s Austrian psychological thriller *Mothers Baby* made its debut at Berlin 2025, exploring a 40-year-old woman’s complex struggles with motherhood.
*My Father’s Shadow* by Akinola Davies Jr. became the first Nigerian film selected for Cannes’ official selection, winning a Special Mention: Caméra d’Or at Cannes 2025. This autobiographical drama is set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1993 elections.
Japanese auteur Takashi Miike contributes *Sham* (*Detchiage: Satsujin Kyoshi to Yobareta Otoko*), a court drama inspired by Masumi Fukuda’s *Fabrication*, which premiered at Tribeca 2025.
Chi Hayakawa, director of *Plan 75*, returns with *Renoir* (*Runowâru*), a coming-of-age drama set in 1987 suburban Tokyo about an 11-year-old girl coping with her father’s terminal illness.
*Skin of Youth* (*Ồn ào tuổi trẻ*) by Ash Mayfair, winner of the Special Jury Award at the New York Asian Film Festival 2025, is a Vietnamese drama following a turbulent romance in 1990s Saigon.
Oday Rasheed’s *Songs of Adam* premiered at Red Sea 2024. This poetic drama is set in 1946 Mesopotamia and tells the story of a boy who stops aging after witnessing his grandfather’s death.
Farida Baqi’s debut feature *The Visual Feminist Manifesto* premiered at Rotterdam 2025, winning the Youth Jury Award. The film traces a young woman’s journey from birth to adulthood in an unnamed Arab city.
### Indian Competition Entries
The Indian competition features three powerful films. Rajkumar Periasamy’s Tamil-language biographical war-action drama *Amaran* (*The Immortal*) is based on *India’s Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes* by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. The film depicts the 2014 Qazipathri Operation and Major Mukund Varadarajan’s valor.
Thalava KV’s Malayalam-language family drama *Sarkeet* (*A Short Trip*) follows parents struggling abroad while caring for their son diagnosed with ADHD.
Indian National Film Award-winner Santosh Davakhar’s *Gondhal* (*Maharashtrian Ritual*) is set during a traditional ritual in rural Maharashtra. The story follows a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who plans an escape with a Gondhali performer.
The 56th International Film Festival of India will take place in Goa from November 20 to 28, showcasing these exceptional films from around the globe.
https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/miike-takashi-sham-golden-peacock-india-iffi-1236573068/
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