15 films will compete for the coveted Golden Peacock at the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India, to be held from 20 November to 28 November in Goa. The mouth-watering line-up comprises 12 International and 3 Indian films that represent the emerging trends in the aesthetics and politics of the art.
From the very first Golden Peacock awarded in the 3rd edition of IFFI, the prize has been amongst the most sought-after film awards in Asia. The jury tasked with the impossible job of picking a winner this year comprises of Israeli writer and film director Nadav Lapid, American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance, French documentary film maker, film critic and journalist Javier Angulo Barturen and India’s very own film director Sudipto Sen.
In the thick of the competition this year are :
Perfect Number (2022)
Polish film maker Krzysztof Zanussi’s Perfect Number is a drama that aims to provoke thoughts on morality and mortality. Co-produced with Italy and Israel, the film explores the relationship between a young mathematician and his distant cousin and how a chance meeting between the two leads to profound meditations on the mysterious world order, the meaning of life and its passing.
The Kashmir Files (2022)
The Kashmir Files is a Hindi film centred around the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir. Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, The narration develops around the protagonist, Krishna a young college student who sets out to discover the truth about the untimely demise of his parents.
Red Shoes (2022) :Mexican film maker Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser describes his film Red Shoes as an emotional reflection more than anything else. The drama is about a farmer who lives an isolated life receiving news of his daughter’s death. The film progresses as the farmer tries to navigate through an unfamiliar and alien world to try and bring his daughter’s body home. Among the multiple award nominations the film has received, it was in contention for the Audience Award at Venice International Film Festival.
A Minor (2022): A founding member of the Iranian New Wave in 1970s, Dariush Mehrjui is well known among connoisseurs of Iranian cinema. The maestro is back at IFFI with his latest film, A Minor. The film is about a girl who aspires to be a musician despite opposition from her father. Complex equations between members of the same family, differing aspirations between parent and child and the hypnotic spell of music are some themes the film explores.
No End (2021): Iranian drama, No End depicts the manipulations and machinations of the secret police in Iran. A man of quiet integrity, indulges in a lie involving the secret police in a desperate attempt to keep his house. Things get complicated when the real secret police enter the scene. Jafar Panahi Collaborator Nader Saeivar’s second feature was nominated for the New Currents Award at the Busan International Film Festival. Jafar Panahi is credited as advisor and editor.
Mediterranean Fever (2022): Palestinian-Israeli writer-director Maha Haj’s Mediterranean Fever is a black comedy about two middle aged ‘frenemies’. Winner of the best screenplay award in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard competition, the film is woven around an unlikely partnership between an aspiring author and a small time crook.
When the waves are gone (2022): When the waves are gone by Filipino film maker Lav Diaz is a story an Investigator in the Philippines, who is at a deep moral crossroads. The film discusses his dark past that continues to haunt him even as he tries to heal from severe anxiety and guilt. Lav Diaz, who is known for developing his own form of ‘cinematic time’ (his 2004 film, Evolution of a Filipino Family, has a run time of nearly 11 hours) has decided that this film requires just over 3 hours to be told well.
