PANAJI: More than 6,500 delegates have registered themselves for this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI) marking an increase of 25 per cent over the last year, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) managing director Prithul Kumar said on Tuesday, a day ahead of the inauguration of the festival in Goa.Six more screens have been made available for this edition of IFFI to make the festival more accessible to the film enthusiasts, Kumar said. “NFDC, the host of the event, is making all-out efforts to ensure the festival reaches new heights this year in terms of people’s participation and quality of overall experience,” he said.NFDC officials said the IFFI 2024 focuses on young filmmakers and has received a record 1,032 entries for the Creative Minds of Tomorrow section as compared to 550 last year.“This initiative was launched to identify and showcase young Indian cinematic talent, recognise cinematic excellence across filmmaking disciplines, and encourage forward-thinking narratives,” an official said. “The Creative Minds of Tomorrow initiative has been expanded to support 100 young talents, up from 75 in previous edition, with young film students from across the country invited to participate,” the official said.More than 24 masterclasses and panel discussions are planned for the upcoming filmmakers. Sessions will be led by industry luminaries such as AR Rahman, Prasoon Joshi, Shabana Azmi, Mani Ratnam, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and international guests like Philip Noyce and John Seale. Attendees will gain insights into sound design, acting in the digital age, and the future of filmmaking, said officials.There will be a special segment on Goan Films, where 14 films will be screened, celebrating local talent and culture.The festival will be graced by film actors, directors and other personalities such as Vidhu Vinod Chopra, AE Rahman, Vikrant Massey, R. Madhavan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Rakul Preet Singh, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sanya Malhotra, Ileana D’Cruz, Boman Irani, Pankaj Kapur, Aparshakti Khurana, Manasi Parekh, Pratik Gandhi, Sai Tamhankar, Vishnu Manchu, Prabhudeva, Kajal Aggarwal, and Saurabh Shukla.According to secretary of the ministry of information and broadcasting Sanjay Jaju, curated live performances, immersive exhibitions including the one on the journey of Indian cinema and carnival parade, being held for the first time, are the highlights of 55th edition of the festival.He said IFFIESTA, an entertainment extravaganza, will be held this year to bring communities together through the magic of films, food, art, and interactive experiences. At the week-long event, 11 traditional dance troupes will perform.
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