Mumbai, Oct 12: Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who is known for ‘Chandni Bar’, ‘Page 3’, ‘Fashion’, and ‘Babli Bouncer’, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Jury for the Feature Film Section of Indian Panorama for the upcoming 57th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2026.
As Chairman of the Feature Film Jury, he will be responsible for evaluating eligible entries and recommending 25 outstanding feature films for showcase at the 57th IFFI. This selection will include five films from mainstream cinema recommended by designated film trade bodies.
The festival primarily comprises two major sections, International Cinema and Indian Panorama. The Indian Panorama is a flagship section dedicated to showcasing the best of contemporary Indian cinema and promoting excellence in filmmaking.
The official communication was issued by Ashutosh Gowariker, Festival Director of the 57th IFFI. The film festival, which is organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, the International Film Festival of India has been celebrating cinema from across the world since its inception in 1952.
From the selected films, the jury will recommend three films for the main competition, two films for the Best Debut Film of a Director category, and three films for the ICFT UNESCO-Gandhi Medal under the international competition. The jury will also evaluate entries for the Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Award, recommending five films and selecting the winner.
The primary jury screening of eligible feature film entries commenced online on September 29 and is scheduled to continue until October 16, 2026. This will be followed by the central panel jury screening of 60 shortlisted feature films at the NFDC Auditorium in Mumbai from October 18 to November 1, 2026.
The 57th edition of IFFI is set to be held from November 20 to November 28, 2026 in Goa.
--IANS