Renowned Kavi Artist Sagar Naik Mule received a surprising and exciting call from “The Peacock” team of the Entertainment Society of Goa to contribute to the International Film Festival of India 2025. Entrusted with the creation of the farewell page, Sagar embraced the opportunity to reflect the festival’s spirit through a unique artistic lens.
The farewell work celebrates the cycle of nature, symbolizing how every year brings new ideas and inspirations to IFFI Goa. Using the technique of PoP, Sagar captured impressions of leaves through a self-portrait on a peacock, symbolically expressing gratitude to everyone who made IFFI 2025 a grand success.
The message of thanks, “Dev Bore Koru” in Konkani, resonates throughout the artwork, combining elegance, creativity, and heartfelt acknowledgment.
With trust and encouragement from Vivek Menezes, Sagar’s farewell page became a memorable tribute to the festival’s vibrancy, creativity, and community spirit, leaving a lasting impression on attendees and contributors alike.
Thailand’s A Useful Ghost brought a vibrant and surreal close to the International section at the International Film Festival of India, leaving audiences both amused and contemplative. Directed by Ratchapoom, the film explores a whimsical narrative in which a ghost returns not as a human, but as a vacuum cleaner—a playful yet deeply symbolic choice reflecting the real-world dangers of dust pollution that claim the life of the protagonist. The unusual approach was born from Ratchapoom’s desire to break free from conventional depictions of ghosts, blending subtle supernatural elements with unexpected sci-fi touches to create something quietly intimate and visually inventive.
Cinematographer Song Pasit described the film’s visual style as a deliberate interplay between humor and gravity, embracing a philosophy of “don’t be afraid not to be cinematic,” which allowed the team to experiment freely with color, framing, and surreal visual motifs. Behind the scenes, associate producer Tanade Amornpiyalerk highlighted the limited but emerging opportunities in Thai cinema, an industry dominated by Hollywood releases with around 30 local films released annually. Despite these constraints, Ratchapoom emphasized his belief that films should go beyond pure entertainment to express meaningful ideas, a principle evident in A Useful Ghost.
Actor Wisarut Homhuan shared that the role was both challenging and transformative, marking a milestone in his career. Having worked across TV and digital platforms, Homhuan explained that opportunities for film actors in Thailand remain scarce, making his performance in this film a breakthrough moment for recognition within the cinematic landscape. The global journey of the film, from an offbeat concept to festival acclaim, left Ratchapoom astonished and elated. “Who would have thought such a film with such a crazy idea could travel so far and reach so many people?” he remarked, reflecting on the unexpected resonance of his quirky, thoughtful creation.
A Useful Ghost demonstrates the power of imaginative storytelling, blending social commentary with whimsy, and showcasing the evolving face of Thai cinema on the international stage. Its success at IFFI reinforces the notion that even the most unconventional ideas, when executed with heart and vision, can captivate audiences worldwide.
The Waves Film Bazaar 2025 concluded with a vibrant closing ceremony at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), marking the end of five impactful days of networking, innovation, and global cinematic exchange. The event gathered global filmmakers, producers, distributors, funders, and emerging creators, reaffirming its status as one of Asia’s most influential film industry platforms.
The ceremony saw the presence of esteemed dignitaries including Joint Secretaries of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting — Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan MN and Dr. K. K. Nirala, NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum, Waves Film Bazaar Advisor Jerome Paillard, IFFI Festival Director Shekhar Kapur, filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani and Sriram Raghavan, and internationally acclaimed actor Rachel Griffiths.
The event began with a solemn one-minute silence in honour of legendary actor Dharmendra, paying tribute to his monumental legacy in Indian cinema.
Momentum for 2026: An Expanded 20th Edition
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan announced that the 20th edition of Waves Film Bazaar will return in an expanded and more ambitious format, reflecting the soaring global interest in Indian co-productions, script labs, and AI-driven filmmaking initiatives.
NFDC MD Prakash Magdum reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to nurturing independent minds, emphasizing the success of previously selected projects and the rising global footprint of Indian stories.
A wrap-up video capturing the festival’s highlights set the celebratory tone for the awards that followed.
Major Awards & Recognitions
Co-Production Market & Development Grants
Kakthet (Idiot) – First Co-Production Grant ($10,000)
Ulta (Madam) – Second Co-Production Grant ($5,000)
Simhastha Kumbh – Special Documentary Grant ($5,000)
The Manager, Azhi, Ustad Bantoo – Red Sea Fund Awards
Nazma Ka Tadka – Platoon One Script Development Grant
Teacher’s Pet, White Guy – Casting Company Awards
7 to 7 – UCCN City of Film Best Project Award
Post-Production Lab Winners
Projects such as Khoriya, Azhi, The Ink Stained Hand and the Missing Thumb, Born Yesterday, Aakkaatti, and Khamosh Nazar Aate Hain received major post-production support from Nube Studios, Prasad Corporation, Moviebuff, and others.
Premiere GAP Funding & Distribution
Echoes of the Herd – Matchbox GAP Award
Soul Whispers – M5 Global Film Fund
Chingam – Reborn India Theatrical Distribution Award
AI Film Festival & CinemAI Hackathon: A Global First
Supported by LTIMindtree, the AI showcase attracted entries from more than 18 countries.
Award Highlights:
KYRA – Best AI Animation
The Cinema That Never Was – Most Innovative AI Film
Nagori – Best AI Short
Special Mentions: The Last Backup Final Part, Miracle on the Kachua Beach
The CinemAI Hackathon honoured excellence in:
Sound
Visuals
Storytelling
Innovation
Best AI Film — The Red Crayon
Spotlight on Emerging Talent
The Student Producer’s Workshop awarded upcoming creators including Kaashviy Ommkaar, Aniket Joshi, Radhika Kinare, Riya Varghese, and Sakshi Mishra, highlighting the promising next generation of Indian filmmakers.
The event concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks by Vineeta Mishra, Head of Waves Film Bazaar, followed by a celebratory stage appearance by the entire team. With powerful partnerships, visionary storytelling, and global engagement, Waves Film Bazaar 2025 sets the stage for an even bigger, bolder edition in 2026.
The sixth day of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 delivered one of the festival’s most forward-looking conversations through its masterclass titled “The New AI Cinema: A Discourse on Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs)”. The session brought together eminent voices from technology and cinema, including technologist Shankar Ramakrishnan, AI expert V. Muralitharan, and internationally celebrated filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who led an engaging and visionary dialogue on how rapidly developing artificial intelligence tools are reshaping the art and craft of filmmaking.
The session opened with Ravi Kottarakara honouring Shekhar Kapur for his pioneering impact on Indian cinema, highlighting his innovative approach to storytelling and his enduring influence with films like Mr. India, still celebrated for its technical brilliance and cultural legacy. Kapur reflected on the profound shift unfolding across the world with the rise of AI, describing it as the most democratic medium ever introduced to filmmaking. He emphasised that AI has dissolved long-standing barriers, giving unprecedented creative access to individuals who previously had limited pathways into the industry. Illustrating this point, he shared an anecdote about his cook who used ChatGPT to create a script for Mr. India 2, demonstrating how transformative and inclusive AI-powered creativity has become.
Kapur expressed confidence that India, home to the world’s largest youth population, is poised to take a leading role in shaping the future of film technology. He also clarified the difference between traditional VFX and AI-driven processes, noting that while VFX involves crafting or modifying visuals digitally, AI leverages machine-learning models to automate, enhance, or even generate creative elements, fundamentally shifting the way films can be conceived and executed.
Technologists Shankar Ramakrishnan and V. Muralitharan expanded the conversation by demonstrating how modern AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini assist filmmakers across multiple stages of production, from scripting and storyboarding to generating detailed shot descriptions including lighting, camera angles, and visual dynamics. They showcased their AI-enhanced project The Turban and The Rock, written by Raja Rao, explaining how various AI platforms were integrated seamlessly into its creation.
The interactive Q&A session that followed encouraged deeper conversations about the larger possibilities of AI in cinema. The panellists highlighted how emerging technologies can support documentary production, archival restoration, film education, and creative ideation. Audiences were given a glimpse into the future through the screening of an AI-generated short documentary titled The Lost Legends, which demonstrated the growing sophistication of AI-driven visual storytelling.
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding technological advancement, Shekhar Kapur grounded the discussion by reminding the audience that cinema’s true heart lies in human emotion. He emphasised that while AI can accelerate processes and expand creative possibilities, it is ultimately the human artist who breathes life, meaning, and emotional depth into a film.
The session concluded with a touching tribute to legendary actor Dharmendra, honouring his immense contribution to Indian cinema and reminding attendees that while the tools of filmmaking may evolve, the soul of the art remains in the stories and performances that connect deeply with audiences.
IFFI witnessed a remarkable convergence of storytelling today as the teams behind Mother’s Baby and My Father’s Shadow came together for an insightful and emotionally rich conversation. What unfolded was a deep dive into the methods, memories, and lived experiences that shaped two very different films—each exploring profound human truths.
A Lagos Day That Holds a Lifetime: Akinola’s Intuitive Filmmaking Journey
Akinola Ogunmade Davies, director of My Father’s Shadow, offered an intimate look into the film’s origins. Adapted from an early short film written by his brother, the story unfolds during the 1993 Nigerian elections, echoing the brothers’ own childhood memories of political tension and uncertainty.
Akinola described intuition as his primary compass. “The micro story is the father and his boys. The macro story is the election and everything gets blended,” he said. Keeping the narrative within a single day gave him creative freedom—“We weren’t tied down by continuity; we could focus on emotion.”
He shared the emotional toll of certain scenes, especially a powerful funeral moment that left him shaken. “I stayed in bed for two days and cried,” he admitted, calling it a testament to the film’s emotional weight.
He also gave audiences a textured look into Nigeria—its political shifts, linguistic diversity, and the gaps in historical education. English, Creole, and street language intermingle in the film, mirroring the cultural mix that defines the country. His reflections painted Nigeria as a deeply complex yet underrepresented protagonist in global cinema.
The Unspoken, Unsettling Layers of Motherhood in ‘Mother’s Baby’
For Mother’s Baby, the emotional core lies in exploring a woman’s vulnerable and disorienting postpartum journey. Cinematographer Robert Oberrainer explained that the film’s visual language was crafted to let audiences “walk with her” as she navigates the unsettling feeling of disconnect from her own baby—conceived through an experimental fertility procedure.
Production designer Johannes Salat highlighted the universality of the theme. “It’s a subject deeply important for women,” he emphasized. The chosen location, he said, “felt like it belonged to the story.”
The film builds tension through subtle narrative and psychological cues—moments where the mother’s reactions do not align with those around her. The climax is intentionally open-ended, a “puzzle” for viewers to interpret.
Filmmaking as Reinvention: When Detours Become Discovery
Both teams reflected on filmmaking as an ever-changing path. Robert recalled how scenes intended for later in the film were moved to the front during editing—a shift he initially resisted. The director reminded him, “emotion comes first, not continuity.”
Johannes added, “Sometimes you end up in a place better than where you thought you were going.”
Akinola agreed wholeheartedly: “You make the film three times—when writing, shooting, and editing.” Deviations, he said, are not setbacks but discoveries.
In the end, the session became a vibrant exchange of ideas—two films born from vastly different landscapes, yet united by instinct, emotional truth, and storytelling’s wild, unpredictable journey.
