WORLD FILM SCREENING SCHEDULE
Immerse yourself in world cinema, award-winning anthropological films, and exclusive director welcome presentations at F5IFF 2026.
World Cinema & Anthropological Showcase
Blue Burning
Blue Burning is a response to the state’s intention to “maximise” utilisation of South African offshore petroleum potential. Filmed between 2019 and 2024, Blue Burning chronicles the grassroots refusal of consent to offshore oil and gas development that has been called the largest environmental campaign in South Africa’s history. Experimental in form, the documentary exposes the theatre of ‘mitigation’ and ‘public consultation’ in the state’s push for thirty new offshore oil and gas wells by 2030. The film offers a haunting aesthetic of irreconcilable worlds, peeling back a state economic development imaginary to reveal an ancient, maritime heritage and remarkable ocean at the heart of ongoing social resistance. This is the story of the growing social opposition to these plans, uniting fisher and traditional healer collectives, coastal communities, indigenous groups, scientists, environmental NGOs, academics, and the general public in defence of the ocean commons and climate futures. Expect a visually stunning, well-paced documentary with a magnificent musical score.
Paswaar (Caress Me)
Directed by Shayar Gandhi
This poignant yet hopeful drama explores the bittersweet relationship between an old man, Dr. Homi, and his young caregiver/cook, Lali. One of the few surviving Zoroastrians in the world, Homi is rich in inheritance but devoid of children. His only kin is his estranged nephew Jamshed. Jamshed is marked by long absence, and Lali serves Homi with utter devotion. In the vast emptiness of his huge mansion, she brings the warmth of a home with her tender love. While Homi’s need for human touch is fulfilled by Lali’s motherly caressing, she feels Homi does not value her enough. On the day of Homi’s birthday, as Lali passionately cooks a Parsi feast of Fish and Vermicelli, Homi longingly waits for Jamshed to pay him a visit on his special day. When Jamshed does not turn up, Homi is left devastated. While caressing a vulnerable Homi, Lali tries to make her case one last time.
We heard the world looks beautiful
Directed by Shreyas Milind Mandhare
We Heard the World Looks Beautiful, based on a Marathi folklore, follows Jyoti, a newly married woman who arrives in her husband’s mysterious village, where everyone is blind. Confused and anxious about being accepted, Jyoti tries to understand the strange rituals and unquestioned beliefs followed by the community. Her first encounter with the sacred banyan tree and the unsettling ceremony around it deeply disturbs her, but the villagers treat it as something ordinary. Even her husband reassures her that nothing unusual has happened. As days pass, Jyoti becomes increasingly troubled by the silence surrounding these customs. Through her journey, the film explores how faith, fear, and tradition can shape a community’s reality. In a world where no one can see, Jyoti begins to question whether blindness lies only in the eyes or also in the willingness to accept what has always been believed.
🍱 Lunch Break & Networking
BINDH
Directed by Krishn Sagar
Humiliated at work, a father unleashes his rage on his son over a small lie, only to wake the next morning to find something unexpected.
CHINHARI: THE INK OF IDENTITY
"Chinhari: Syahi Pahchan Ki" about the art of Godna, among the Baiga community done by the Badi community showcases the art form and its components and delves deep into the story of the tradition, the artists and how it is shifting with the changing times. Through intimate interviews with Baiga women, Elder person, Young girls, Badi artists and other community members who share their memories and experiences of Godna. They explain how different tattoo designs have different meanings. Many designs are somehow inspired by nature and daily life of Baiga people connected with the Baiga way of living. However, the tradition is slowly becoming less common. Younger generations often avoid Godna because of education, modern lifestyles, social pressure and fear of being judged or mocked. Traditional tattoo materials are also becoming expensive and difficult to find. As the Godna is disappearing it is creating an impact on the lives of the community. Finally, The story guides us towards how the community and the artist are carrying forward the tradition they talk about the challenges and slight peak towards the preservation of the art form.
Mehfil Sealdah South
Directed by Subhash Jha
Mehfil Sealdah South follows three karaoke singers who perform Bollywood and Bengali classics on Kolkata’s Sealdah South route trains. What once were songs of romance and tragedy in films now become the raw soundtrack to the everyday lives of commuters, re-contextualizing love, loss, and longing.
THE FIRST FILM
Directed by Piyush Thakur
In a small town in 1960s India, where cinema is forbidden for women, a 14-year-old girl embarks on a quest to watch her first film.
☕ Afternoon Tea & Coffee Break
Anhad: A Way of Looking
Directed by Syed Ahmad Rufai
Two visually impaired artists offer an imaginative exploration of the world through their perspectives. Moving beyond conventional sight, the film shifts the gaze inward - revealing an uncharted sensory landscape that challenges how we perceive and understand reality. The film breaks the dichotomy of ableness and imagines how artists make sense of the world. Challenging different concepts and basic understanding of the world, the artists take us on a journey to confront a new reality that might have not been thought about otherwise. Anhad touches on the ancient Indian concept of Navaras - the nine fundamental emotions that form the essence of human experience. Using this framework, the film reflects on the complexities of contemporary Indian society, drawing from personal narratives and broader socio-political realities. As the artists navigate their surroundings, relationships, and inner lives, Anhad becomes more than a portrayal of individual resilience. It is a meditation on the boundless nature of human imagination and the many ways in which we construct meaning in the world. Through their vision, the film redefines seeing - not as an act of the eye, but of the mind and soul.
Important Notice: Screening dates, time slots, and venue halls are tentative and subject to change without prior notice due to operational exigencies.