The sixth edition of the Habitat International Film Festival (HIFF) will bring over 70 films from nearly 15 countries to the big screen, with a special focus on Italian cinema and restored classics such as Bicycle Thieves and The Apu Trilogy.
The festival, set to take place from March 21 to 30 at the India Habitat Centre (IHC), will feature a diverse selection of Oscar, BAFTA, Locarno, Cannes, and Berlinale award winners and nominees. Alongside contemporary world cinema, HIFF 2025 will celebrate legendary filmmakers with screenings of restored classics by Satyajit Ray, Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, and others.
The spotlight on Italian cinema has been curated by Stefano Francia di Celle, former director of the Torino Film Festival, in collaboration with Andrea Anastasio, director of the Italian Cultural Centre. The selection includes over 30 films and is divided into two segments: contemporary Italian films from 2024 and a retrospective marking the centenary of legendary actor Marcello Mastroianni.
“The selection of new films has been made to offer a broad spectrum of genres and authorial voices. Thriller, drama, comedy, and socially engaged cinema are the main genres that the Indian audience will experience,” said Francia di Celle.
The festival will also pay tribute to acclaimed Italian director Marco Tullio Giordana, who will be present at the event. HIFF 2025 will open with Giordana’s latest film, La Vita Accanto (The Life Apart), which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival. The retrospective will also feature Giordana’s classics such as La Meglio Gioventù – Atto I (The Best of Youth – Act I), I Cento Passi (One Hundred Steps), and Due Soldati (Two Soldiers).
From gripping dramas to thought-provoking comedies, the festival will provide a glimpse into the evolution of Italian cinema, spanning generations from the post-maestros era to contemporary auteurs showcased at the Venice Film Festival.
The selection includes nine contemporary films from the Venice and Cannes Film Festivals, alongside 22 restored classics, featuring masterpieces such as Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) and Otto e Mezzo (Eight and a Half), De Sica’s Sciuscià (Shoeshine) and Ladri Di Biciclette (Bicycle Thieves), and Ettore Scola’s Una Giornata Particolare (A Special Day).
The retrospective section will highlight the contributions of film archives such as Cineteca di Bologna, its renowned restoration lab L’Immagine Ritrovata, and Cineteca Nazionale.
Restored versions of Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy will also be showcased, highlighting the influence of De Sica’s cinematic techniques on Ray’s storytelling.
“They have played a crucial role in restoring many classic films, including the Criterion restoration of The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, one of the most significant events at this year’s festival. De Sica’s work had a profound impact on Indian cinema, particularly on Ray’s filmmaking,” Francia di Celle said.
Celine Pozzi, project manager at L’Immagine Ritrovata, will conduct a workshop on film restoration and preservation techniques, offering insights into the meticulous process of restoring cinematic masterpieces.
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As part of the Marcello Mastroianni retrospective, the festival will screen his iconic films, including La Dolce Vita, Il Viale Della Speranza (The Street of Hope), Contro La Legge (Against the Law), Divorzio All’Italiana (Divorce Italian Style), Matrimonio All’Italiana (Marriage Italian Style), La Città Delle Donne (City of Women), and Oci Ciornie (Dark Eyes).
“For film lovers, HIFF 2025 is set to be a standout experience. Not only will audiences witness an outstanding lineup of award-winning and groundbreaking world cinema, but they will also have the rare opportunity to watch restored masterpieces from some of the most iconic filmmakers in history. Our gratitude to Italy, this year’s Focus Country, for bringing an exceptional selection of restored classics to the festival,” said Vidyun Singh, Creative Head of Programmes, India Habitat Centre.
The festival will also highlight women directors, with films such as Icíar Bollaín’s Soy Nevenka (I’m Nevenka), Saulė Bliuvaitė’s Toxic, Clara Stern’s Zwei gegen die Bank (Two Against the Bank), Ariane Labed’s September Says, Andrea Arnold’s Bird, and Nora Fingscheidt’s The Outrun.
Some of the award-winning and nominated films to be showcased include Emilia Perez, The Story of Souleymane, The Room Next Door, Pepe, and Grand Tour.
The “open for all” festival will conclude on March 30, offering audiences an immersive cinematic journey through global storytelling and artistic excellence.
When: March 21 to 30
Where: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
