Ashutosh Gowariker, director of “Lagaan,” has been appointed festival director of the 57th International Film Festival of India by India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
Gowariker succeeds Shekhar Kapur, who served a two-year term as festival director across the 55th and 56th editions.
“It gives me immense pride and joy to serve as the festival director for the prestigious 57th International Film Festival of India, Goa,” Gowariker said. “I feel privileged to have witnessed the evolution of this festival. From attending it in 1984 to continuing my association over the years, right up to 2024, when I served as the jury president for international cinema.”
Gowariker built his reputation as one of Bollywood’s more ambitious directors, with credits spanning the Oscar-nominated “Lagaan,” the rural drama “Swades,” the period epic “Jodhaa Akbar” and the Indus Valley spectacle “Mohenjo Daro.” His films are known for their large-scale historical and social canvases.
IFFI dates to 1952, making it one of the longest-running festivals in Asia. The event is a joint production between the government-backed National Film Development Corporation and Goa’s state entertainment body, and its annual program spans competition screenings, retrospectives, masterclasses and the WAVES Film Bazaar, a co-production and sales marketplace.
“To carry forward the legacy that has been created, nurtured, and expanded over the decades since 1952 by innumerable festival teams, is a great honor, accompanied by a renewed sense of responsibility,” Gowariker added. “I look forward to working closely with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Government of Goa.”
The festival is scheduled for Goa in November.
Source: variety.com
