BRICS countries are bringing 21 films to the 57th International Film Festival of India 2026. The special section, called “Films from BRICS”, shows movies from different countries, languages and styles. The stories ask big questions about democracy, freedom, identity, history and the problems the world faces today. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) shared the details on 14 November.
BRICS Films Look Back at Freedom and Struggle
Many films in this section go back to moments when people were fighting for change. Brazil’s “Amadeo and the Hypothetical New World” imagines an African inventor in the 1830s. His invention becomes part of the fight to free enslaved people.
Indonesia’s “The Sea Speaks His Name” is set during the country’s 1998 pro-democracy movement. It follows a family searching for answers after a student activist goes missing. South Africa’s “The Trek” takes viewers to the Kalahari Desert in the mid-1800s, where people face the harsh reality of the colonial frontier.
India’s “Article 370” is also in the line-up. It is set against the backdrop of the 2016 unrest in Kashmir and follows the mission to repeal Article 370. According to the PIB note, the film won three honours at the 72nd National Film Awards: Best Film, Best Actress and Best Music.
BRICS Stories Also Explore Family, Identity and Today’s World
Not every film looks at the past. Some deal with problems we see right now. “Dreaming of Serenada” is a documentary from Uganda and the UK. Through a father-daughter bond, it shows how climate change and floods are affecting a rainforest. Iran’s “Poultry Farm” tells the story of an Iraqi boy with no documents who risks his life to find a lost friend.
Family and identity are strong themes too. Saudi Arabia’s “Hijra” follows a young girl, her grandmother and her missing sister on a journey that reveals family secrets. China’s “Embers” shows what happens after a mix-up with cremation ashes. “The Condor’s Daughter” from Bolivia and Peru is about a young Andean woman caught between old musical traditions and her dream of becoming a performer. Nigeria and the UK’s “Lady” follows a young taxi driver in Lagos who finds unity and a sense of self after meeting a group of sex workers.
The line-up also includes films from Kazakhstan, Cuba, Italy, Russia, Egypt, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Belarus and the UAE.
The festival will run from 20 to 28 November 2026 at several venues in Goa. More than 150 films from 86 countries will be shown, which makes it a big meeting point for film lovers.
