IFFI Goa 2025, 10: Film selection--The Good (rare), the Bad (many) and the Ugly (too many)

IFFI Goa 2025, 10: Film selection--The Good (rare), the Bad (many) and the Ugly (too many)

Films that are screened at IFFI are selected by a large committee that takes several weeks to vet the available movies, entered in the festival. Each category of films has a different committee assigned to it. The Preview Committee (sometimes referred to as the Selection Jury) for the International Section at IFFI 2025, which selects the international (non-Indian) films that are screened at IFFI, comprised:

1. Niraj Kumar Mishra (writer, director)
2. Gautam Narayanan (writer, director)
3. Thripthi Sundar Abhikar (writer, director)
4. Chethan Kumar Shetty (director)
5. Hariom Kaushik (film-maker, writer)
6. Haril Shukla (film-maker)
7. M. Gita Gurappa (cinema journalist and critic)
8. Mahesh Digrajkar (cinematographer and educationist)
9. Satish Varma (news-reader and news editor)
10. Runa Bhutda (news-reader and news editor)
11. Prashantanu Mohapatra (film-maker and cinematographer)
12. Mr. Gyan Sahay (DOP, director and producer)
13. M. Maniram (director, story and screenplay writer)

It is not mentioned whether this Committee had a Chairperson or not.

This information is obtained from the Official Catalogue, which, unlike in many previous editions, encompasses all Sections of films and all necessary information, plus the messages of VIPs.

There is no detail about the respective standings of the Committee members in the fields of their specialty. Perhaps the powers that be felt that in the age of Google and AI, there is no need to provide such details in the catalogue.

I confess that, besides Gyan Sahay, who I know to be a reputed DOP, and with whom I have worked as an actor, I have never heard of any of the other 12 members.

Over to Google and AI, for one/two line intros.

*Niraj: Wrote Baaghi 2, produced, wrote and directed Samanantar (National Film Award for Best Feature Film-Maithili)

*Gautam: Unable to identify the right person. Several results on Google, but difficult to match them to his face and profession.

*Thripthi: From the Kannada film industry. Known for Nalke (2019). Source: imdb

*Chethan: Likely refers to the Kannada film director, Chethan Kumar, known for Bahaddur (2014), Bharjari (2017), and Bharaate (2019). (AI).

*Hariom: Probably member of CBFC (2023-24) and Preview Jury Member, IFFI 2022 (Instagram).

*Haril Shukla: Preview Committee member, International Cinema), 54th International Film Festival of India, Maker of short film U Turn.

*M. Gita: 71st National Film Awards, 2023, Feature films Jury, Central panel, Ms. Geeta M. Gurappa (Member). I presume that the this is the same person, notwithstanding the spelling.

*Mahesh: Known for Dr. Hedgewar (2025) and Everybody Says I'm Fine! (2001). (imdb)

*Satish Varma: No suitable match was found.

*Runa Bhutda: Multimedia Journalist at Webdunia Hindi, 18 years’ experience in Electronic & Print news media, Anchoring, Voice over, Scripting, Production & Reporting (LinkedIn).

*Prashantanu: Winner of Best DOP at the National Film Awards 2023, for The Kerala Story. “He believes in Responsible cinema.” (imdb).

*Gyan Sahay: A FTII graduate in Cinematography, turned Director and Producer. Known for many works on Television. (X).

*M. Maniram: Moirangthem Maniram Singha, popularly known as M. Maniram, made Mon Jai as a tribute to late cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, and is making Mon Jai Chapter 2.

A 13-member Jury. 1 film critic. No actors.

I shall not comment about their selection itself nor about their knowledge of international cinema, because I am privy to neither fact. Some of you may be aware about their abilities and affiliations, and draw your own conclusions. My concern is the crop of films that they showcased for the cognoscenti of the Indian and international film world at IFFI 56. It is based on the film I managed to see in the 8 days that I attended. Eager to catch-up on as many films as possible, I often booked 4 tickets in a day. My interest lies mainly in international cinema, since most Indian films would be available at other festivals, on TV, websites and OTT. So, here goes:

1. The Blue Trail/2025/Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Netherlands/Directed by Gabriel Moscaro/Opening film

As Opening films go, it was not a bad choice. Director Moscaro’s film won the Grand Jury Prize of the Silver Bear at the Berlinale. Co-written by the director, the film begins with an indictment of the compulsory retirement and submission of retirees to the care of their children. This, surely, is a burning problem of the day, around the world. But then he breaks off at a tangent and follows the retiree mother on a journey across backwaters in a small motor-boat, punctuated with halts and surrealistic rituals, with roots bin mythology. One finds influences of the German director, Werner Herzog, especially Herzog’s 1972 release, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, which won world acclaim.

Rating: ***

2. Little Trouble Girls/2025/Slovenia, Italy, Serbia, Croatia/Urska Djuykic/International Competition

A Slovenian school-student, Lucija, joins an all-girls Catholic church choir, to fulfill her mother’s wish. On a spring retreat to a remote convent, she becomes interested in a foreign worker, who is part of the team doing restoration work at the convent. She also befriends Ana-Mariya, an older girl, who is lively and fun-loving. As Luciya explores her sexuality, in the strictly religious convent, she is troubled with shame, confusion and guilt, which affects her singing. The film is likely to have greater impact in societies where such practices are the norm, while its appeal in other religious dispensations might be limited. Also, the film moves at a leisurely pace, making even the 89 minutes seem much longer.

Rating: ** ½

3. Mother’s Baby/2025/Germany/Johanna Moder/International Competition

After fertility treatment at a clinic, Julia, and orchestra conductor, becomes pregnant. But right from the time she gives birth, she feels that there is something amiss. First, her baby is taken away to another hospital because it had the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck and could not breathe. Then, after she gets the baby, she finds that it does not respond to loud music, but feels pain when his flesh is twisted. Moreover, it does not utter anything, not even gibberish, but does cry, rarely. A kind of sixth sense tells her that all is not well, and that her husband and her gynaecologist are up to something. As a document of childbirth and the concerns of the mother of a newly born baby, it is a good study. But it is also laboured and drags. Towards the end, the film gets into the thriller mode, and ends with barely two shots revealing the ‘conspiracy’, expecting the audience to unravel the mystery, by going into flashback, and tying up the knots. It needed more of the thriller element and crisper editing, to engage viewers. Mothers and mothers-to-be might find it more appealing than other members of the society. At the press conference, the makers said, maybe half in jest, “Mother’s Baby, Father’s Maybe.” Funny?

Rating: **

4. My Father’s Shadow/2025/UK, Nigeria/Akinola Davies Jr./International Competition

A semi-autobiographical story that takes place in a single day, the film crawled along for 20 minutes, amateurish performances. That was all I could bear. The film did not merit selection at all, let alone finding place in the International Competition.

5. Skin of Youth/2025/Vietnam, Singapore, Japan/Ashleigh Mayfair/International Competition

A misnomer, the film is not a skin-flick. Instead, it addresses the problems of persons born with male sex organs but female in their hearts and minds. One has often heard of this phenomenon occurring in Thailand, which would suggest that it there are greater instances in that country. But director Ash Mayfair insists that it is as prevalent in Vitenam and many other countries as it is in Thailand. Such persons often dance at bars, and have male lovers. But what they yearn for is a sex change operation that would convert them into a woman. Such operations are banned in many countries and cost up to USD 12,000 where they can be performed. Skin of Youth became special because the protagonist of the film is a true life trans-gender person, who accompanied Ash to the festival. Moreover, Ash revealed that in her own family, there was a trans-gender sibling. Written by Ash herself, the film is true to its missionary approach, mostly predictable, sometimes contrived, are there are a couple of loose ends in the end.

Rating: ** ½

6. Songs of Adam/2025/Iraq/Oday Rasheed/International Competition

You could call it Back to the Future and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button completely re-imagined. Adam is a 12 year-old in the Mesopotamia of 1946 who witnesses his grand-father’s burial, and makes a strange, illogical, impossible decision: he will not grow beyond the age of 12. Incredibly, his wish is granted, and he stays 12 while everybody around him grows from childhood tom adulthood to fatherhood to grandfather‘hood’. Unable to accept this out of the world phenomenon, his father isolates him, fearing a curse. While Iraq undergoes the political turmoil of the 50s and 60s, leading up to contemporary wars, Adam remains 12 years-old. Screenplay by the director himself is a refreshing take on the growth/decline of a nation, from the sidelines. Adam, metaphorically, reflects a nation’s soul. Performances are impressive, the locale as realistic as it can be.

Rating: ***

These were the films from the International Competition Section. None of them could be rated above ***, which is pity, because films in this category should be the best of the best, at least *** ½.

We’ll look at films from other sections in the next instalment