Miike Takashi’s ‘Sham’ Battles Rajkumar’s ‘Amaran’ for Golden Peacock: IFFI Showdown!

The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), set to occur in Goa, has announced its lineup for the International Competition. This segment will showcase 15 feature films vying for the prestigious Golden Peacock award along with a cash prize totaling INR90 lakh ($101,500).

This year’s competition features 12 films from around the globe alongside three Indian entries. An international jury, chaired by acclaimed Indian director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, will judge the entries. The panel also includes Australian editor-director Graeme Clifford, German actress Katharina Schüttler, Sri Lankan director Chandran Rutnam, and British cinematographer Remi Adefarasin.

The winner of the Golden Peacock will be awarded INR40 lakh ($45,115). There are additional awards for best director, best actor (male), best actor (female), and a special jury prize.

Among the notable international films, Fatih Akin’s “Amrum” debuted at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. Co-authored by renowned German filmmaker Hark Bohm, this historical drama set during World War II, tells the story of a 12-year-old boy living on Germany’s North Sea island of Amrum.

“A Poet” by Simón Mesa Soto, a tragicomedy from Colombia that clinched the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2025, portrays the life of elderly poet Oscar Restrepo who mentors a young and gifted girl, Yurlady. This film is also Colombia’s submission for the 98th Academy Awards.

French director Diane Kurys’s latest film “C’est Si Bon” (Moi qui t’aimais), which premiered at Cannes 2025, explores the twilight years of the romantic relationship between Simone Signoret and Yves Montand.

The Slovenian film “Little Trouble Girls” (Kaj ti je deklica) by Urška Djukić, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival 2025, is a coming-of-age story about an all-girl choir on a retreat and is Slovenia’s entry for the Oscars.

From Italy, sisters Valentina and Nicole Bertani present “Mosquitoes” (Le bambine), an offbeat coming-of-age comedy-drama about three girls growing up in 1990s Italy, which premiered at Locarno 2025 and was nominated for the Golden Leopard.

Austrian director Johanna Moder’s “Mothers Baby,” a psychological thriller about a 40-year-old woman grappling with motherhood, also premiered at Berlin 2025.

“My Father’s Shadow” directed by Akinola Davies Jr., a personal drama set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1993 elections, is notable for being the first Nigerian film in Cannes’ official selection and received a Special Mention: Caméra d’Or at Cannes 2025.

Japanese director Chie Hayakawa follows up her acclaimed “Plan 75” with “Renoir” (Runowâru), a drama about a young girl dealing with her father’s terminal illness in 1987 Tokyo.

“Sham” (Detchiage: Satsujin Kyoshi to Yobareta Otoko) by Takashi Miike, inspired by Masumi Fukuda’s “Fabrication,” is a legal drama that premiered at Tribeca 2025.

Ash Mayfair’s “Skin of Youth” (Ồn ào tuổi trẻ), a drama set in 1990s Saigon, received the Special Jury Award at the New York Asian Film Festival 2025.

“Songs of Adam” by Oday Rasheed, a poetic narrative set in 1946 Mesopotamia about a boy who ceases to age after a traumatic event, premiered at Red Sea 2024.

“The Visual Feminist Manifesto” by Farida Baqi, dealing with a young woman’s journey from birth to adulthood in an unnamed Arab city, debuted at Rotterdam 2025, winning the Youth Jury Award.

Among the Indian entries, Rajkumar Periasamy’s “Amaran” (The Immortal) is a Tamil-language biographical war-action drama based on true events from “India’s Most Fearless” by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, depicting Major Mukund Varadarajan’s heroics during the 2014 Qazipathri Operation.

“Sarkeet” (A Short Trip) by Thalava KV, a Malayalam-language drama, illustrates the challenges faced by parents living abroad with their ADHD-diagnosed son.

Santosh Davakhar’s “Gondhal” (Maharashtrian Ritual), which won the Indian National Film Award, portrays a woman in a loveless marriage planning her escape with a Gondhali performer during a traditional ritual in rural Maharashtra.

The festival is scheduled to run from November 20-28 in Goa.