The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded last night with a vibrant awards night at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa . In his concluding remarks, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that this edition of IFFI was a combination of a remarkable gathering of creative minds, artistry, and brilliance in global collaborations during the past several days, and Goa has witnessed the extraordinary confluence of ideas and cultures.
Actors, directors, producers, and creators shared reflections that captured the spirit of global cinema and the festival’s legacy. Curtains descended on IFFI 2025, with a glittering closing ceremony last night.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant paid tributes to the He-Man of Indian Cinema, Dharmendra. The stage shone like a galaxy of colourful stars, quite literally, when Rajnikanth was felicitated for his contribution to Indian Cinema through fifty years. Another big surprise for everyone was Ranveer Singh’s captivating and energetic presence on the stage.
The Golden Peacock for the Best Feature Film at IFFI 2025 was bagged by Ashleigh Mayfair’s ‘Skin of Youth’. The Vietnamese drama follows the precarious lives of San and Nam, and their struggle for love and identity in 1990s Saigon.
The Silver Peacock for best director of a feature film was awarded to Santosh Davakhar for Gondhal. Meanwhile, Akinola Davies Junior won the Special Jury Award for his movie, My Father’s Shadow.
Ubeimar Rios bagged the award for best actor male, while Jara Sofija Ostan won the best actor female for Little TroubleGirls.
Silver Peacock for best debut feature film was jointly awarded to Hesam Farahmand’s My Daughter’s Hair and Tõnis Pil’s Fränk.
The prestigious ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi medal went to the Movie ‘Safe House’ directed by Eirik Svensson, recognising the director’s unique artistic story.
Here are some other notable awards which were felicitated during the award ceremony:
Best Debut director for indian feature film: Karan Singh Tyagi for his critically acclaimed film ‘Kesari 2’. OTT best indian Panorama award: Bandish Bandit 2
The ceremony marked a memorable end to the festival, celebrating creativity, innovation, and the enduring spirit of filmmaking. And even though IFFI 2025 has ended, keep celebrating the magic of Cinema!
