Rain-Soaked Shimla Gears Up for Global Cinema Carnival
Shimla, August 30: Monsoon-drenched Shimla is set to turn into a hub of world cinema as the 11th International Film Festival of Shimla (IFFS) kicks off on September 5.
Iranian director Mehran Ranjbar’s Persian film Electron will open the three-day festival, with Padma Shri filmmaker Chander Prakash Dwivedi and actor Chhaya Kadam adding star power as celebrity guests.
A record 43 countries and 23 Indian states are in the lineup, with 163 films to be screened across five venues—from the iconic Gaiety Theatre to Himachal Pradesh University, jails in Shimla and Nahan, and a juvenile home.
Special screenings are also planned for schoolchildren and specially-abled students.
Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said Shimla has become a true cultural bridge. “This year’s participation shows how the city is emerging as a global platform for storytellers,” he said.
Films from China, Spain, Lebanon, Venezuela, Ghana, Turkey and many more will share space with Indian entries from Maharashtra, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and beyond. Alongside screenings, seminars, workshops, and film talks will add depth to the festival vibe.
With 60 independent directors in attendance, IFFS 2025 is ready to make rain-soaked Shimla a celebration of cinema across cultures, languages, and borders.
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