54th IFFI to be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa

At 54th IFFI, Union Minister Anurag Thakur announced India's media & entertainment industry is 5th largest globally, growing 20% annually. Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award to be conferred on Michael Douglas. OTT awards introduced, 32 entries from 15 platforms, winner to get Rs.10 lakh.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday announced that the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) would be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Thakur said, ranked the fifth largest market globally, India’s media and entertainment industry was a force to reckon with. The market had grown with an average annual rate of 20% in the last three years.

The Minister said this year the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award would be conferred on Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas. Stating that the International Section of IFFI had seen a three times spike in the number of films received, he said it was a display of the fascination of international film industry for the IFFI.

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About the newly introduced OTT awards, Mr. Thakur said since the COVID-19 pandemic, OTT industry had seen a boom in India and original content created in the country was employing thousands of people. The sector was growing at 28% annual rate. A total of 32 entries across 10 languages from 15 OTT platforms had been received and the winner would be awarded an amount of ₹10 lakh, he said.

In order to bolster the startup ecosystem in film sector, and to recognise talent from the remotest corners of the country, the government had started the “Creative Minds of Tomorrow” initiative. The Minister said there were over 600 entries in the section this year. This year’s selection of 75 winners will take the total of such winners to 225 in three years.