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TEAFF 22: The awards went to…
The Special Film Writing Award, instituted in memory of Late Sudhir Nandgaonkar, was presented this year to journalist-turned renowned film scholar and curator, Meenakshi Shedde. Expressing her gratitude, Meenakshi Shedde said, “I am truly thankful for receiving this award in the memory of late Sudhir Nandgaonkar. He played a significant role in my writing journey, and it gives me immense joy to receive an award bearing his name.”
The compet...
TEAFF 22: Closing formalities
The closing ceremony of the 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival, which unfolded over the week 09-15 January 2026, was held with great at the precincts of the P.L. Deshpande Kala Academy’s Ravindra Natya Mandir. This year’s festival, as always, offered audiences a rich and diverse cinematic experience, showcasing Asian film culture, through a wide range of films. Film lovers had the opportunity to watch around 56 films during the festival, held at two v...
TEAFF 22: Mr. M wins our hearts
On paper, I could have seen all four films on the final day of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival. But, of these four, I had already seen the first, In the Name of Fire/Swaha, so the fare choice was reduced to three. Dahej, a V. Shantaram restored classic, Human Resource, from Thailand, part of the Asian Spectrum, the closing film ad Mr. Manickam, and Indian entry in the competition section. However, it did not go that way. I was invited to review a Hindustani f...
TEAFF 22: All five films in competition sections, but how many did I watch?
As a rule, I try to see as many competition films as possible. Maybe I labour under the delusion that all films entered in the competition sections of various film festivals must be state-of-the-art and better than the rest, therefore they are chosen for consideration. Sometimes I end up watching mediocre films, and at other times, they are definitely above average. At the Third Eye Asian Film Festival (TEAFF) 22, 202...
TEAFF 22: Four films on the fifth day, including two Indian Competition films, for my two eyes
Since Fatherless had been screened on the first day, in place of ‘6 am’, another film, Asampurno, directed by Amartya Sinha, was screened. By this time, I had realised that burning the candle at both ends, i.e., waking up early and going to bed late, was taking its toll. So, I skipped Asampurno, and arrived in time, well, almost in time, to watch an Indian English film, in the Internatio...
TEAFF 22: Let us see what Day 4 showed us
Delayed in reaching the venue, I arrived too late for the first film of the day. Iran’s In Other Words (Mohammad Mahdi Katirachi), which was part of the Asian Spectrum. In other words, I missed the film. For me, the screenings began with the second film, scheduled for 12 noon.
Kathakar Ki Diary (India: Anwesh)
This film, too, was selected for the Asian Spectrum. It is listed in the festival catalogue only under its English title as The Story...
TEAFF 22: The very good, the good and the not so good films
Missing out on the second day of screening, being indisposed, I resumed viewing on the third day, committed to seeing all five films screened that day.
Deal at the Border (Kyrgyzstan: Dastan Zapar Ryskeldi)
Part of the country focus on Kyrgyzstan, this was a gem of a movie. How often do you have a protagonist who is an expert boxer, works for a drug Mafia, but does not use any violence whatsoever? Working in a team of two, he fin...
TEAFF 22: The very good, the good and the not so good
At international film festivals, as, I guess, in released films that I watch as a critic, I have found that one yard-stick has remained constant. Of films I see, the really remarkable ones lie in the range of 10-20%. The rest are either just about watchable or prompting a walk-out after about 20 minutes of endurance. So, a good festival, for me, is one in which I end up watching 20% + very good films, an average festival gives me only 11-2...
Happy Patel, Khatarnak Jasoos, Review: Unhap pee Lapet, CutterNak JustSnooze
Cut to the chase. No, begin with the chase! 1991. Two British secret agents in speeding cars being given a hot chase in Panjor, Goa by another car. Bullets fly, but the chasers are not able to stop the fleeing MI7 agents. Left rear seat window glass rolls down. Out emerge the Don’s head, and his two hands, carrying a deadly double-barrel rifle, asking the British to die for their deeds. Applause, for the Don is...
Third Eye Asian Film Festival accepts my proposal, institutes best debut director award
In a rare occurrence, the organisers of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival (TEAFF), currently being held in Mumbai and Thane, accepted the proposal I put forth at their press conference on 22nd December, at the iconic Rajkamal Kalamandir complex, that, since there were several directors whose debut-making films were to be screened at the TEAFF, they should consider instituting an award for the Best Debut Di...
What can you see through your Two Eyes at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival?
Beginning on Friday, the 9th of January, the 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival, 2026, organised by The Asian Film Foundation, Prabhat Chitra Mandal and Enlighten Film Society and Supported by the Cultural Affairs Department of the Government of Maharashtra, Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Film Archive of India (NFAI), has a fea...
Third Eye opens its festival doors for the 22nd time, on 09 January 2026
A lot of film-buffs have felt that Mumbai should have been chosen as the permanent venue for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Since 1976, only 3 such festivals were held here, as variations of IFFI, called Filmotsavs. During 1996-97, a group of film society members, film directors, actors and other personalities, who had their base in Mumbai, were rooting for IFFI to settle here. But the Central Governmen...
Durlabh Prasad ki Dusri Shadi: Overview
A grand première was held of this small film at PVR Icon, Infiniti Mall, Andheri, on 18 December, replete with two female musicians singing traditional songs and playing rhythm instruments, on the 3rd floor Auditorium Complex. The turnout was impressive, which might have led to the delayed start of the film, a full 60 minutes late.
An interesting title, on the lines of some big films with long titles, it raised curiosity about the story, though ...
MGM Amazon Prime’s Fallout: Keep a safe distance
PR Agency Moe’s Art warmly invited us for an exclusive screening of Prime Video’s ‘highly-anticipated global hit, Fallout Season 2’— a wild, wicked and wonderfully wasteland-chaotic journey into New Vegas.
It asked us to “Step out of the Vault and into an evening crafted for the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. ones — an immersive escape into the world of Fallout, packed with its signature grit, humour, and post-a...
IFFI Goa 2025, 11: Film selection--The Good (rare), the Bad (many) and the Ugly (too many)
Beginning where I left off.
My Daughter’s Hair/Iran/2025/Hesam Farahmand
Curious and off-beat title, but only in the English version. In Farsi (Persian), it is named after its lead character, a girl called Raha. Even that could be a bit of a misnomer, because it is as much the story of Raha’s father and brother, as it is of Raha. Interestingly, another film in the competition section is ti...
Bhay trailer launch: PR Agency Moe’s Art hits record low, gags senior-most journalist
As a journalist writing about various media events and reviewing content, I am usually contacted by PR agencies via WhatsApp, when something is coming up. Some of them even send WhatsApp reminders, or even call me, to confirm my attendance. Not all journalists are favoured by all agencies. Some are boycotted and never invited, obviously because they do not agree to play ball or get manipulated, and, pe...
IFFI Goa 2025, 10: Film selection--The Good (rare), the Bad (many) and the Ugly (too many)
Films that are screened at IFFI are selected by a large committee that takes several weeks to vet the available movies, entered in the festival. Each category of films has a different committee assigned to it. The Preview Committee (sometimes referred to as the Selection Jury) for the International Section at IFFI 2025, which selects the international (non-Indian) films that are screened at IFFI, compri...
IFFI Goa 2025, 09: Does IFFI need the media, or does the media need IFFI, that is the question
This is not the first time that media has been maltreated at IFFI. It will also not be the last time. The only way for media to avoid being humiliated and maltreated is to not go to cover IFFI as a media-person. It would appear that the media needs IFFI, and that IFFI does not need the media. Or, at least, it does not want media to be treated well. Cinema is a medium, and taught at hundreds of film-...
IFFI Goa 2025, 08: Prizes and surprises
Vietnamese film Skin of Youth, written and directed by Ashleigh Mayfair, was adjudged the best feature film in the International Competition section, thereby bagging the prestigious Golden Peacock in 56th IFFI, which concluded on the 28th of November in Panaji, Goa. Ashleigh, who hates being called Ashleigh, and prefers ‘Ash’, has highlighted the problem of trans-gender persons in her country, using a real life story, with the protagonist pl...
IFFI Goa 2025, 07: On the trail of the opening film, The Blue Trail, Berlinale Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize-winner
Hoping to start with a bang, IFFI 2025 has chosen The Blue Trail s its opening film. Released in 2015, it is directed by Gabriel Mascaro. A Mexico-Chile-Netherlands-Brazil co-production, it is in Portuguese, with English sub-titles, and runs for 86 minutes. The Blue Trail can be categorised both as riding the twin genres of drama and sci-fi.
Let us see what is known about the fi...
IFFI Goa 2025, 06: Debut on view
IFFI 2025 will showcase seven potential masterpieces from India and around the world
Aimed at promoting outstanding new talent in international cinema, the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director Award, at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025, will showcase a hand-picked selection of five international and two Indian films.
The winner will receive the coveted Silver Peacock, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, and a commendation.
An eminent jury ...
IFFI Goa 2025, 05: Films competing for the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal
Instituted at the 46th International Film Festival of India, the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal is an international honor presented in collaboration with the ICFT Paris under the aegis of UNESCO. The honor is given to an excellent film, which promotes peace and inter-cultural dialogue, and honours Mahatma Gandhi's vision of non-violence and peace.
This year’s 10 notable films will be judged by an esteemed Jury panel comp...
IFFI Goa 2025, 04: Indian Panorama Selection and Best Web-Series (OTT) Award nominations
In the Indian Panorama section, 25 feature films (including 5 films from Mainstream Cinema), 5 films nominated for Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Award films and 20 non-feature films for the year 2025, will be shown.
The selection of the Indian Panorama is made by eminent personalities from the world of cinema from across India comprising a total of twelve Jury members for Feature films and s...
IFFI Goa 2025, 03
With less than a week to go for the inauguration of IFFI Goa 2025, a press conference on the prestigious film festival was addressed by the Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant and Union Minister of State (MoS) for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L. Murugan, in Panaji yesterday.
Addressing the media, Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant said that as part of the festival, films will be screened at INOX Panaji, INOX Porvorim, Maquinez Palace Panaji, Ravind...
IFFI Goa 2025, 02
22 features and 5 docus shortlisted for international financing at WAVES
The 19th edition of India’s flagship film market—formerly known as Film Bazaar and now reimagined as WAVES Film Bazaar, is returning with a robust Co-Production Market for features and documentaries, including curated projects shortlisted for international financing and festival circulation. On the sidelines of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), WAVES Film Bazaar will be...
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About Siraj Syed
 Syed Siraj
(Siraj Associates)
Siraj Syed is a film-critic since 1970 and a Former President of the Freelance Film Journalists' Combine of India.
He is the India Correspondent of FilmFestivals.com and a member of FIPRESCI, the international Federation of Film Critics, Munich, Germany
Siraj Syed has contributed over 1,015 articles on cinema, international film festivals, conventions, exhibitions, etc., most recently, at IFFI (Goa), MIFF (Mumbai), MFF/MAMI (Mumbai) and CommunicAsia (Singapore). He often edits film festival daily bulletins.
He is also an actor and a dubbing artiste. Further, he has been teaching media, acting and dubbing at over 30 institutes in India and Singapore, since 1984.
Bandra West, Mumbai India View my profileSend me a message
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