PANAJI: The nine-day celebration of India’s cultural and cinematic heritage — International Film Festival of India (IFFI) — kick-started with the Australian film Better Man directed by Michael Gracy, in Goa on Wednesday. Better Man, is a cinematic tribute to resilience, fame, and the extraordinary life of British pop legend Robbie Williams.
The gala open ceremony was graced by noted filmmakers and actors, including festival director Shekhar Kapur, Subhash Ghai and Nagarjuna. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar were also present.
In a video message played at the inauguration ceremony, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said that with the addition of technology and the development of the creator ecosystem, India can play a major role in the way the creator economy is shaping up.
“IFFI has become an important milestone in the development of the film industry in India. We in India, at this point of time, are very much focused on developing the content creators’ economy. We have a very vibrant creators’ economy where people come up with very innovative content showcasing some of the rich heritage, cuisines and the culture of India. Some of the gems of Indian language and literature are being presented by the content creators in very interesting ways,” said Vaishnaw.
The minister said that the event would facilitate young filmmakers to find new partnerships and develop new ideas. A significant segment of IFFI, ‘Film Bazaar’, which promises a dynamic platform for aspiring filmmakers and established industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and propel the future of cinema, also began on Wednesday.