Panaji: Acclaimed Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski's "Fatherland" will open the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which will showcase 159 international films from 86 countries and 76 Indian films.

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Pawlikowski is an acclaimed director in world cinema with award-winning films such as "Ida" and "Cold War" to his credit. "Fatherland", which won Pawlikowski the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival, completes his trilogy of historical stories.

IFFI, which will be held from November 20 to 28, will conclude with Singapore's "We Are All Strangers" by director Anthony Chen, festival director and filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker said at a press conference on Friday.

The film gala received a total of 1,400 films from 137 countries.

The line-up includes nine world premieres, two international premieres, 24 Asia premieres and 116 India premieres. The programme also includes 14 gala premieres.

Aditya Dhar's blockbuster spy movie "Dhurandhar", starring Ranveer Singh, will open the Indian Panorama feature film segment, while "Becoming" will be the opening film in the non-feature category.

Twenty five feature films and 20 non-feature films will be screened as part of the segment, selected out of over 700 entries.

The festival's international competition will feature 15 films, while seven films will compete in the Best Debut Feature Film category.

The ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal competition will showcase 10 films, presented in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), Paris, under the aegis of UNESCO.

The festival's international competition jury will be chaired by filmmaker Aanand L Rai. The other members are Romanian filmmaker Bogdan Muresanu, Venezuelan filmmaker Maria Alejandra Rojas, Thai director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke and Argentine director Sol Berruezo Pichon-Riviere.

The Best Film will receive the Golden Peacock Award and a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh. The Best Director will be awarded the Silver Peacock and Rs 20 lakh, while the Best Actor (Male) and Best Actor (Female) will each receive Rs 15 lakh.

The Special Jury Award carries a cash prize of Rs 20 lakh, while the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director will receive Rs 15 lakh. The ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal winner will receive a certificate and medal.

The festival will also mark the centenary of Polish filmmaker Andrej Wajda with a special tribute featuring five of his films -- "Ashes and Diamonds", "After Image", "Man of Marble", "Kanal" and "The Promised Land".

Russia will be the partner country, while Spain will be the country of honour at the festival that will also feature films from BRICS member nations and India will be represented by Nitesh Tiwari's "Ramayana".

The 57th edition will showcase works by 52 women filmmakers, including 10 whose films are part of the international competition. It will also feature 62 first-time filmmakers, of whom 12 have films in the competition section.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar will head the jury for the Indian Panorama feature film segment, while Himansu Sekhar Khatua will lead the jury for the non-feature film segment.

The jury for the Best Web Series (OTT) award will be headed by JD Majethia.

This year, the festival has introduced two new categories -- 'Films about Films' and  'Animation'.

IFFI is being held under the theme "Stories Without Borders".

Explaining the thought behind the theme, Gowariker said cinema has the ability to bring people closer by taking them beyond familiar languages, cultures and perspectives.

"We are living in a time when we are more connected than ever, and yet it has also become very easy to stay within our own circles, our own language, our own screens and our own points of view," he said, adding that borders were not merely geographical but could also exist in people's habits and perspectives.

According to "Swades" director, when audiences connect emotionally with characters in a film from a country whose language they do not speak, cinema succeeds in bridging distances.

"The distance shrinks. To me, that is what cinema does best, and that is the thought behind our theme, 'Stories Without Borders'," he said.

IFFI will organise a special screening of Gowariker's "Lagaan" to celebrate its 25 years.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said IFFI is Asia's oldest film festival and has evolved into an important platform over the years.

"Every November, Goa opens its door as a vibrant home for storytellers from around the world. Great stories bring the world together and once again, Goa is ready to roll out the red carpet for the global cinema.

"Goa is proud to be the home of IFFI. Over the years, the festival has become an important part of our state's identity for the cultural calendar. Hosting one of India's biggest international film festivals is a matter of pride for Goa. We see it as an opportunity to welcome the global film fraternity, showcase our state's memorable experience for everyone who visits us," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Mathrubhumi and is published from a syndicated feed.)