AMN / GOA
The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded in Goa with a star-studded closing ceremony that celebrated outstanding achievements in global cinema. This year’s Golden Peacock for Best Feature Film went to Skin of Youth, a Vietnamese production directed by Ashleigh Mayfair, earning widespread praise from the jury.
In the Silver Peacock categories, Santosh Davakhar was named Best Director for the Marathi film Gondhal. The acting honours went to Ubeimar Rios, who won Best Male Actor for the Spanish film A Poet, and Jara Sofija Ostan, awarded Best Female Actor for her role in the Slovenian film Little Trouble Girls.
The festival also spotlighted emerging filmmakers. Hesam Farahmand from Iran and Tõnis Pill from Estonia were declared joint winners of the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director award. In the Indian category, Karan Singh Tyagi won Best Debut Director for Kesari Chapter 2. The Best Web Series (OTT) award went to Bandish Bandits Season 2.
A notable highlight was the presentation of the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal to the Norwegian film Safe House for its strong message of peace and intercultural harmony. The evening also paid tribute to legendary actor Rajinikanth, who was honoured for completing 50 years in Indian cinema. Thanking audiences, he said, “This honour belongs to the entire film industry. Even if I have a hundred births, I wish to be born as Rajinikanth because I love cinema and acting.”
Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, addressing the gathering, said this edition of IFFI had brought together remarkable creativity, artistic excellence, and meaningful collaborations. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur added that IFFI continues to bolster India’s place as a global creative hub, celebrating innovation and cultural diversity in storytelling.