IFFI: Dollu and Funeral to compete in Debut Competition section

The organizers of the 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) have announced the line-up of films selected for the Debut Competition section. Sagar Puranik’s Kannada-language feature Dollu and Vivek Rajendra Dubey’s Marathi feature Funeral are the two Indian films in the running. 

The debut production of Pavan Wadeyar and Apeksha Purohit’s Wadeeyar Movies, Dollu marks the directorial debut of Puranik. The film was screened at the Caleidoscope Indian Film Festival, Boston and has been selected for several other international festivals. Based on the traditional folk dance in Karnataka, Dollu Kunitha, the film examines the effects of urbanization on local art forms. The film was also awarded the Dadasabheb Phalke Award 2021 (MSK Trust) at the Innovative International Film Festival for the Best Kannada Film.

Vivek Rajendra Dubey’s Funeral was screened at the Pune International Film Festival in January this year and the synopsis of the film reads, ‘When a human being is born he cries but the whole world around him is happy. And when a human being dies, he is silent and the whole world around him cries. Why is that? Give a smiling farewell to everyone, who is parting ways.’

Besides the two entries from India, the Debut Competition section comprises Rubén Sainz’s Magoado; Arash Aneessee’s Farsi-language feature from Iran, Maman; Dimitris Kanellopoulos’s Greek-language film Pack of Sheep; Janno Jürgens’s Estonian feature Rain; Laura Lehmus’s Sweet Disaster; the Chilean film The Wealth of the World directed by Simon Farriol; and Marí Alessandrini’s Zahori.

A statement from the festival organizers reads, “The festival has been launchpad to several filmmakers over the years and this section aims at bringing the best first-time filmmakers of the year in this section.”

IFFI is being held in a hybrid format from 20 to 28 November 2021.