Shekhar Kapur Sets New Vision for IFFI Goa 2024: ‘Time to Change the Narrative’

As a lifelong admirer of Indian cinema, I find Shekhar Kapur‘s vision for the 2024 International Film Festival of India (IFFI) truly inspiring. His emphasis on celebrating Indian cinema on its own terms and honoring audiences is a breath of fresh air in an industry often plagued by comparisons to Western standards.


Renowned Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, currently serving as the festival director for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, has shared his vision for the 2024 event, placing importance on moving beyond the practice of judging Indian cinema based on Western benchmarks.

At festivals for quite some time now, there’s been an attitude among us that Indian cinema lags behind the West and we should look down on it. However, I aim to alter this perspective,” expresses Kapur.

The director highlights India’s knack for incorporating Western technology throughout its history, from the early days of the first Indian feature “Raja Harishchandra” up until contemporary digital platforms. Essentially, India embraced the foreign technology of cameras and projections for films right from the start, which ultimately led to it becoming one of the biggest filmmaking communities globally. There seems to be a unique aspect about our population that thrives in audiovisual storytelling, allowing it to progress swiftly.

Kapur’s plan for IFFI 2024 is built upon three key foundations:

Kapur expresses his enthusiasm by saying, “Let’s honor our viewers,” recalling how Indian film enthusiasts have consistently shown their love for cinema even under difficult viewing circumstances. He points out that the location of IFFI in Goa holds special significance, describing it as “the most festive spot in India.

Regarding his hopes for what attendees will gain from the festival, Kapur encourages a change in point of view: “Don’t view us as idols you’ve admired from afar. Instead, see yourselves as integral to our artistic process.

The event will offer expanded youth workshops and tech-centric courses, specifically focusing on artificial intelligence within cinematography. Kapur describes AI as “the most democratizing technology” in the movie industry.

In terms of international collaboration, Kapur seeks to promote a higher level of cultural interchange, all the while preserving India’s unique perspective. Essentially, it’s about inviting more and more individuals from around the globe to share their tales, rather than letting one culture dominate the global narrative.

2024’s edition of IFFI (International Film Festival of India) is planning to broaden the scope of its Film Bazaar, fostering increased collaboration between various Indian-language film sectors and foreign participants.

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2024-11-21 05:47