The Goan short film Rishi has achieved a significant international milestone by winning eight awards at the International Parallel Cinema Film Awards organised by The Festival Stage. The film was selected from an impressive pool of over 7,879 entries from across the world, standing out for its powerful narrative, strong performances and refined technical execution.
Directed jointly by Anlisa Rodrigues and Mario Pimenta, Rishi won the awards for Best Short Film and Best Story, while both directors were honoured with the Best Director award. Mario Pimenta also received the award for Best Editing, and Anlisa Rodrigues was recognised for Best Cinematography, highlighting the film’s strong visual language and cohesive storytelling.
Cyrus Fernandes earned accolades for Best Producer and Best Actor (Male) for his impactful performance, while 20-year-old Roshni Maurya won Best Actor (Female), becoming the youngest Goan woman to receive an international acting award. Sneha Fernandes contributed as the voiceover artist, adding emotional depth and resonance to the film’s narrative.
The multiple wins mark a proud moment for Goan cinema and underline the growing global recognition of independent and parallel filmmaking from the region. Rishi’s success reflects the creative strength, collaborative spirit and storytelling depth emerging from Goa’s film community, reinforcing its place on the international cinematic map.
Goan short film The Awakening, directed by young filmmaker Rameez Shaikh, has been officially selected for screening at the 5th Mitee Environment Short Film and Documentary Festival. The film will be screened on January 11, 2026, at the Lady Ramabai Auditorium, S.P. College, Pune. Scheduled from January 9 to 11, the festival will present over 40 environment-focused short films and documentaries from across the world, with The Awakening standing out as the sole Goan film featured this year.
Organised by the Mitee Film Society, the festival has grown into an important platform for young and emerging filmmakers, particularly those addressing social and environmental issues. Now in its fifth edition, the festival continues its mission of nurturing youth voices and showcasing cinema that informs, inspires, and provokes meaningful dialogue among audiences.
The Awakening stars Rameez Shaikh, Siya Chodankar, and Cyrus Fernandes in lead roles. The screenplay and cinematography were handled by Numair Khan, who also co-wrote the story along with Rameez Shaikh and Sharvi Dhond. Editing was done by Varun Kashyap, with technical support from Boskon Studio. The film’s background score was composed by Cyrus Fernandes, while production was managed by Sharvi Dhond and Ebenezer Rajamanickam.
Director Rameez Shaikh, a 21-year-old Gen Z filmmaker from Goa, is a Mass Communication graduate from Don Bosco College, Panjim. In addition to filmmaking, he is a digital creator who has won several local and national-level reel competitions alongside his brothers Ismail Shaikh and Aarif Shaikh.
The film centres on a conversation between two friends contemplating a dying planet, gradually realising that meaningful change begins with shifting mindsets and embracing environmental responsibility. Set against the backdrop of a decaying city, the narrative highlights how apathy has become one of the greatest contributors to environmental degradation, while stressing the power of collective action by ordinary people.
Through its reflective storytelling, The Awakening urges viewers to confront indifference and recognise their individual and collective responsibility towards the planet. The film envisions a future shaped by conscious choices, empathy for the environment, and a shared commitment to safeguarding the world for generations to come.
Cinema is about storytelling, and on September 28, 2025, Goa will tell its story through 13 compelling films and documentaries at the Heritage for Sustainability Film Festival. Organized by non-profit Heritage First Goa (HFG) in collaboration with the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), SKAL International Goa, and Goa Tourism, the one-day festival will be hosted at the ESG auditorium in Panaji as part of the state’s extended World Tourism Day celebrations.
The festival brings together a curated selection of films created by Goan filmmakers, each reflecting the intricate connections between Goa’s cultural heritage, its natural environment, and the sense of belonging rooted in its land. Titles like Bread & Belonging, Islands on the Island, The Birdman of Chorao, Kharvan, I Am Nothing, and Caazu promise to engage audiences in meaningful dialogue through cinematic expression. These narratives will be brought to life not only through the screen but also via panel discussions and live interactions with the filmmakers themselves.
According to Heta Pandit, Director of Heritage First Goa, the festival is a way to deepen the understanding of Goa beyond its party and beach image. “Goa gets lakhs of tourists every year. We want to highlight that Goa is more than just a commodity — it is fragile, layered, and deserving of respect,” she said. Filmmaker Gasper De Souza believes the festival will give younger voices an important platform, while Sonia Filinto, director of Bread & Belonging, emphasizes the need for conversations that bring together people who care about Goa’s future.
The Heritage for Sustainability Film Festival offers a unique blend of storytelling, reflection, and community engagement. Tickets are priced affordably at ₹250 for general admission and ₹150 for students, with a flexible ‘pay as you like’ option to encourage wider participation and support for HFG’s future initiatives.
As part of World Tourism Day, this film festival is not just an event—it is a call to view Goa with fresh eyes and to preserve what makes it truly Goan.
In a vibrant ceremony symbolizing Goa’s artistic flair, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant unveiled the official logo of the Goa State Film Festival (GSFF). The event was attended by Smt. Delilah Lobo, Vice Chairperson of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), the CEO of ESG, and other members of the ESG Governing Body.
The newly revealed logo embodies the dynamic energy, rich cultural fabric, and cinematic aspirations of Goa — reinforcing its growing reputation as a creative and cultural hotspot in India.
GSFF Dates Announced: 14–17 August 2025
The Goa State Film Festival will take place from August 14 to 17, 2025, welcoming filmmakers, storytellers, and film enthusiasts from across the country and beyond.
The Chief Minister expressed his excitement, stating:
“The GSFF is not just an event, it’s a celebration of storytelling, imagination, and identity. I invite every dreamer, filmmaker, artist, and enthusiast to be a part of this landmark celebration in Goa.”
With a mix of film screenings, interactive panels, local talent showcases, and cross-industry collaborations, GSFF 2025 promises to be a major event in India’s creative calendar.
A Platform for New Voices
More than just a showcase, GSFF aims to nurture budding talent and offer a platform for Goan and Indian filmmakers to connect, collaborate, and grow.
~ As part of MOG Sundays, Goan filmmaker Ronak Kamat screened his documentary ‘I Am Nothing,’ chronicling the life of reclusive artist Vamona Navelcar, whose journey spanned Goa, Mozambique and Portugal.
~ Kamat talks about his experience directing the film, eight years in the making, that included candid conversations with artists and collaborators.
Panaji, July 2025: According to Goan director and writer Ronak Kamat, the late Vamona Navelcar was a reclusive, but exceptional Goan artist from Pomburpa, whose life spanned stories from Goa, Mozambique and Portugal. An exclusive screening of I Am Nothing, Kamat’s documentary on Navelcar, was held at the Museum of Goa, Pilerne, followed by a discussion with the director as a part of its MOG Sundays series.
Navelcar, who died at the ripe old age of 91 in 2021, wasn’t someone who opened up easily to others and Kamat did not want to make him feel uncomfortable in the course of his interviews. “Instead of aiming for a swankier film, I thought, why not go for an honest film (with) Navelcar, two members of the crew and a simple setup where he could speak freely,” says Kamat, adding that the process of filming lasted eight years, which included engaging with various individuals associated with Navelcar.
In the course of his lengthy career as an artist, Navelkar twice received Gulbenkian Fellowships and won an international award in Monte Carlo. A master of line, his murals and bas-reliefs feature in collections across the world.
It all started when Kamat was in his second year of college, in the middle of filming his previous project Caazu, when Anne Ketteringham, author of Vamona Navelcar: An Artist of Three Continents, invited him to visit the artist’s home. “So we went and met him. I thought he was a great artist. I had heard about him, but I didn’t expect to be sitting and talking with him for four hours,” Kamat recalls. After that meeting, the director began asking around, speaking with family members, abstract artist based in Goa, Suhas Shilker, his initial introducer Anne Ketteringham and several others to learn more about the artist.
As Kamat dug deeper, he realised that, while many people knew of Navelcar, no one was making an obvious effort to preserve his story. “He’s not going to be around forever. He has so much to tell us about his life and his art, which is impeccable. So that was the impulse.”
During the shooting process, there were days when Kamat would arrive at the artist’s house with a plan and find Navelcar not wanting to shoot. “We would start chatting and after an hour, he would gesture to bring out the camera,” he narrates.He emphasises the importance of ethical filmmaking, saying, “I think that’s a big part of creating documentaries. Because otherwise everyone is so focused on just getting a film made.”
After completing a draft of the documentary, Kamat sought guidance from various producers, including Arindam Mitra, producer of Black Friday, a popular 2004 Indian crime film, but soon realised the need for an artist’s viewpoint to shape the film more thoughtfully. He then consulted Viraj Naik, an artist known for his printmaking and paintings.
Kamat is also known for his writing work for OTT platforms. His works have reached numerous film festivals worldwide and have won the ‘Best Documentary’ and ‘Best Short Film’ awards. His last short film, ‘Bare’, won the ‘Best Film on Women’ Award at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival (CICFF) in 2021 and an ‘Honourable Mention for Best Director’ at the Eastern Europe Film Festival in Romania. I Am Nothing is now set to be screened in Portugal on September 5.
