Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 is set to honour emerging voices in world cinema with seven debut masterpieces selected for the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director Award. The prestigious competition aims to promote exceptional new talent and celebrate the creativity of first-time filmmakers who are shaping the future of global storytelling.
The winner of this coveted category will receive the Silver Peacock, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, and a commendation. The selection will be decided by a distinguished jury chaired by celebrated Indian filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, alongside Graeme Clifford (Editor and Director, Australia), Katharina Schüttler (Actor, Germany), Chandran Rutnam (Filmmaker, Sri Lanka), and Remi Adefarasin (Cinematographer, England).
Representing the diversity of global cinema, the seven competing films include five international and two Indian titles.
Estonian filmmaker Tõnis Pill makes his debut with Fränk, a poignant coming-of-age story that explores fractured families and the healing power of unexpected friendship. Spanish filmmaker Gemma Blasco presents Fury (La Furia), a visceral feminist drama examining trauma, shame, and resilience through the lens of an actress reclaiming her narrative after assault.
From Germany, Christina Tournatzés’ Karla recounts the true story of a 12-year-old girl in 1962 Munich who bravely charges her abusive father — a sensitive portrayal of justice, trauma, and strength told with stunning emotional clarity.
Iranian director Hesam Farahmand’s My Daughter’s Hair (Raha) paints a powerful social portrait of class and dignity through the story of a father who sells his daughter’s hair to buy a laptop, only to uncover deep societal divides.
Mexican filmmaker Ernesto Martínez Bucio’s The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box) offers a haunting, surreal narrative about abandoned siblings grappling with isolation and imagination, merging childhood fears with psychological insight.
India’s cinematic talent is proudly represented by two powerful debut features. Tribeni Rai’s Shape of Momo, filmed in Nepali and set in Sikkim, follows a young woman’s quest for agency within a multi-generational household, exploring patriarchy and quiet resistance through lyrical storytelling. Shivraj Waichal’s Ata Thambaycha Naay! (Now, There’s No Stopping!) delivers a heartwarming Marathi-language drama inspired by true events, celebrating resilience and the transformative power of education among Mumbai’s sanitation workers.
Together, these seven films reflect IFFI’s ongoing mission to spotlight the next generation of cinematic storytellers — artists unafraid to confront social realities, reimagine tradition, and redefine what cinema can say. As the festival unfolds, audiences and jurors alike look forward to discovering which debut filmmaker will claim the Silver Peacock and join IFFI’s prestigious lineage of groundbreaking voices in world cinema.
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