New Delhi, March 15 The inaugural edition of the International Film Festival Delhi (IFFD) will open with the Oscar-nominated film ‘Sirāt’ and conclude with Singaporean filmmaker Tan Siyou's debut feature ‘Amoeba’.
The week-long festival will be held from March 25 to 31 at the Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan, with screenings scheduled across multiplexes operated by PVR INOX, an official said.
Directed by Oliver Laxe, ‘Sirāt’, a co-production of Spain, France and Morocco, will serve as the opening film of the festival, he said.
The 115-minute road drama follows a father and son travelling through Morocco's rave circuit in search of a missing daughter, a journey that gradually turns into a transformative experience across a harsh desert landscape, the official added.
The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025 and was nominated for two awards at the Academy Awards, he said.
The festival will close with ‘Amoeba’, a 99-minute drama directed by Tan Siyou, the organisers said.
Set in contemporary Singapore, the film centres on four teenage girls who form a secret gang in an act of rebellion, gradually exploring themes of identity, loyalty and social pressures, they said.
Festival director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra said the event aims to present diverse cinematic journeys to audiences in the capital.
"We are thrilled to welcome two powerful films that speak to different kinds of journeys, inward and outward. IFFD at Bharat Mandapam will offer viewers an intimate, world-class cinema experience and showcase Delhi as a vital cultural destination," Mehra said.
Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the festival would help strengthen the capital's position as a global cultural centre and provide audiences with an opportunity to engage with cinema from across the world.
Chairperson of IFFD 2026, Vani Tripathi Tikoo, said the festival seeks to create a platform where global stories can engage Indian audiences through dialogue and cultural exchange.
The festival will feature more than 130 screenings from 47 countries. These were selected from over 2,000 submissions received from 101 countries, another official said.
He said the screenings will be held across 14 screens at Bharat Mandapam and multiplex venues.
The programme will also include masterclasses, industry discussions, the CineXchange film market and a Cineverse Expo aimed at connecting filmmakers, producers and industry platforms, he added.
The official said the festival will collaborate with the Singapore International Film Festival as an international partner and is expected to host several international guests, including Spanish actor Enrique Arce and Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen.