Lusophone Film Fest begins, to be held in Goa, Maharashtra & Hyderabad till Feb 15

Panaji: The Consulate General of Portugal in Goa and Institute Camoes, Panaji, on Friday inaugurated the XIV Lusophone Film Festival in three states: Goa, Maharashtra and Hyderabad.

This year’s event, which will be held till Feb 15, includes 20 feature and short films of various genres — such as comedies, dramas, documentaries, and animated films — that portray striking cultural and civilisational aspects of the countries of the Portuguese-speaking domain.The festival’s inaugural film was, ‘The Memory of the Smell of Things’, by Antonio Ferreira, constitutes an intimate portrait that explores the vulnerability of the body, the weight of memory, and the strength of empathy.The other films are ‘Banzo’, a Portuguese, French, and Dutch co-production directed by Margarida Cardoso that was officially nominated by Portugal for the Oscars in the best foreign film category.‘A Wolf Among the Swans’, one of the best Brazilian films premiered in 2025, will be screened at the closing of the festival, at Maquinez Palace, Panaji. Directed by Marcos Schechtman and Helena Varvaki, the film tells the story of Thiago Soares, a boy from the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro who leaves hip-hop behind and embarks on the world of classical ballet.

On Saturday, the first two sessions, from 2pm to 6pm, will be dedicated to the youth, with ‘Fita Cor-de-Rosa’ (2022), by Cape Verdean Mon de Anjo, ‘Lindo’ (2023) by Margarida Gramaxo, ‘A Bola’ (2025) by Brazilian director Filipe Rafaeli, and ‘Pacarrete’ (2020), directed by Allan Deberton.All films are in Portuguese and have English subtitles.Screenings will also take place at Goa University, Taleigao, and Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao.