The 16th Indian Film Festival of Ireland kicked off on August 20 at the Nutgrove Omniplex Cinema. The festival team gathered to unveil the brochure for the upcoming event, scheduled from September 5 to 7, 2025. Attendees can look forward to three days filled with international films, special guests, live performances, and cultural experiences.
Master of Ceremony Bindu Nair welcomed everyone and set an energetic tone for the festivities. Festival Director Siraj Zaidi reflected on the journey of Indian cinema in Ireland, recalling how he started showcasing Indian films thirty years ago. Back then, there was hardly any recognition of Indian cinema in Ireland. Fast forward to today, and the festival continues to grow, hosting its first dedicated Indian cinema festival in 2012.
Zaidi highlighted the festival’s new venue and introduced the lineup for this year, emphasizing the participation of renowned actor and dancer Javed Jafri. Attendees can anticipate an exclusive screening of Inn Galyon Mein with Jafri and director Avinash Das in attendance, alongside the closing feature Moha, also starring Jafri under the direction of Santosh Sivan.
This year, the festival will spotlight films from the European-Indian diaspora, showcasing works from Indian filmmakers residing in Europe. One such guest is director Keshavi Jarahia from Amsterdam, who will present her short films Cybershot and Insusceptible. Offering a taste of local talent, the festival will also feature Irish Baba, a short film by Dublin-based filmmakers Sree Vallabhaneni and Vivek Srikumar.
Another exciting addition to the festival is a focus on environmental issues. Zaidi pointed out that Indian cinema often addresses climate change and other pressing environmental topics. To highlight this, there will be a free screening of the documentary Moving Upstream: Ganga, as part of the [K]NORE Your River Festival in Kilkenny.
As the launch event concluded, IFFI Patron Cliona Buckley spoke, followed by a stunning performance of Bharatnatyam by renowned dancer Jyoti Goswami. This dance style is integral to Indian cinema, hinting at the vibrant live performances that the festival will showcase.
The Indian Film Festival of Ireland runs from September 5 to 7, 2025. For more details on the lineup and tickets, check out their website.
