The 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open with Austrian film “Alma & Oskar,” directed by Dieter Berner.
The film details the tumultuous relationship between Viennese society grand dame Alma Mahler (1879-1964) and Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980).
IFFI has also revealed the 15 films that will be competing for its top prize, the Golden Peacock Award, including 12 international titles and three Indian ones.
The international titles include “Perfect Number,” “Red Shoes,” “A Minor,” “No End,” “Mediterranean Fever,” “When the Waves Are Gone,” “I Have Electric Dreams,” “Cold as Marble,” “Seven Dogs,” “Maarya: The Ocean Angel,” “Nezouh” and “The Line.”
The Indian titles are “The Kashmir Files,” “The Storyteller” and “Kurangu Pedal.”
IFFI will also pay homage to late legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar with a screening of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1973 musical drama film “Abhimaan,” starring Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri.
Confirmed masterclasses at IFFI include those from: “Kung Fu Panda” director Mark Osborne; “Ponniyin Selvan: 1” filmmaker Mani Ratnam; cinematographer and director Rajiv Menon (“Bombay,” “Sarvam Thaala Mayam”); “Lagaan” DoP Anil Mehta; “The Lunchbox” actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui; “RRR” writer Vijayendra Prasad; “RRR” editor Sreekar Prasad; and “New Amsterdam” actor Anupam Kher.
In addition, in-conversation events are scheduled with filmmakers Shekhar Kapur, Kabir Khan, Aanand L. Rai, R. Balki, Gauri Shinde and Luv Ranjan, actors Asha Parekh and Shefali Shah and studio executives Gaurav Gandhi, Lada Guruden Singh and Vivek Krishnani.
IFFI will take place in Goa from Nov. 20 – 28. The South Asian film market Film Bazaar takes place in Goa Nov. 20-24.