Press Release:Press Information Bureau

#IFFIWood, 20 November 2025

 

Gabriel Mascaro’s dystopian tale The Blue Trail, known in its native Portuguese as ‘O Último Azul’, has ignited the first spark today of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) marking the unfolding in the coastal sway of Goa. The opening film has been embraced widely stirring admiration and wonder alike.

 

Before the film lit up the screen, the cast and crew of the film including María Alejandra Rojas, Arturo Salazar RB, Clarissa Pinheiro, Rosa Malagueta and Gabriel Mascaro graced the Red carpet. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs; Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa; Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting; Shekhar Kapoor, Festival Director IFFI and Nandamuri Balakrishna, Legendary Actor was present during the interaction session.

Commenting on the film Shekhar Kapoor mentioned, “I saw the opening film at the Berlin film festival where it won the silver beer, which is the second-best award is a very moving film, but I will let the director talk to you about it.” And Gabriel Mascaro remarked, “The movie is about this elderly woman that hopefully we support us to understand it always time to find your meaning life.” Shri Kapoor also expressed his hope in IFFI and went on to affirm, “I think in two, three years we’ll have 100,000 people, and we will be as big as the Cannes Festival very soon.”

The premiere of ‘The Blue Trail’ has been greeted with thunderous applause. Audiences lauded the film for its heartfelt exploration of life’s trials, its quiet celebration of resilience, and the luminous journey of self-discovery that Teresa so boldly undertakes.

 

A dystopian drama:

Against the haunting backdrop of a dystopian Brazil, ‘The Blue Trail’ follows Teresa, a spirited 77-year-old woman defying the cold hand of fate and the government’s push to confine her to a senior colony. With a heart full of dreams and a soul unbound, she sets out on a daring voyage through the Amazon, yearning to taste the sky and fly for the very first time. Denied passage by ordinary means, she slips away by boat, meeting a tapestry of vivid characters and facing challenges that test her courage and spark wonder along the way. Through each twist, stumble, and fleeting moment of magic, Teresa’s journey blooms into a testament to freedom, resilience, and the unquenchable joy of living life on one’s own terms, far beyond the boundaries society sets for age.

 

About IFFI

Born in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands tall as South Asia’s oldest and largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), State Government of Goa, the festival has grown into a global cinematic powerhouse—where restored classics meet bold experiments, and legendary maestros share space with fearless first-timers. What makes IFFI truly sparkle is its electric mix—international competitions, cultural showcases, masterclasses, tributes, and the high-energy WAVES Film Bazaar, where ideas, deals and collaborations take flight. Staged against Goa’s stunning coastal backdrop from November 20–28, the 56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices—an immersive celebration of India’s creative brilliance on the world stage.

For more information, click on:

IFFI Website: https://www.iffigoa.org/

PIB’s IFFI Microsite: https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56new/

PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F

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X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB_India, @PIB_Panaji

 

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Ritu Shukla/Sangeeta Godbole/Debayan Bhadury/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 – 020