<span style="color: #222222;">The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) ended in Goa with a glittering ceremony.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The closing ceremony was held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigaon this evening. Union ministers KJ Alphons and Shripad Naik, Goa governor Mridula Sinha, Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore, Goa town and country planning minister Vijay Sardesai, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, Information and Broadcasting secretary Amit Khare and a host of celebrities were present on the occasion.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Speaking on the occasion, Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons said, Indian films entertain people not only in India, but all over the world. He said, films can be transformative as even a movie made on toilet proved to be extremely successful on box office.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In a video message played at the ceremony, Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said, 49th IFFI proved that cinema knows no language. He said, films inspire, entertain and above all, they connect all people as human beings.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In his address, Information and Broadcasting secretary Amit Khare said, the government has already started preparations for the next IFFI, which is the golden jubilee year of the festival. He said that the 50th edition of IFFI will showcase every region of the country and India's vibrant culture, and trace the history of IFFI.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Khare stressed the need to enhance the facilities in Goa in terms of number of screens and shows so that the 50th IFFI can have more delegates. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Master writer Salim Khan was honoured with the IFFI special award for his lifetime contribution to cinema. Actor and producer Arbaaz Khan accepted the award on behalf of his father Salim Khan.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The golden peacock award for the best film was given to Russian-Ukrainian film "Donbass". The best director award went to Lijo Jose Pellissery for Malayalam film "Ee Maa Yove". Chemban Vinod bagged the best actor (male) award for "Ee Maa Yove". Anastasiia Pustovit won the best actor (female) award for her role in Ukrainian film "When The Trees Fall". </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The special jury award was given to "Aga", a co-production of Bulgaria, Germany and France. "Respeto" from the Philippines bagged the centenary award for the best debut feature film of a director. The ICFT Unesco Gandhi medal was given to Ladakhi film "Walking with the Wind" directed by Praveen Morchhale.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The festival closed with the world premiere of the German film "Sealed Lips".</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">More than 220 movies from 67 countries were screened at this year's IFFI. 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films were screened in the Indian Panorama section. While Israel was the focus country, Jharkhand was the focus state this year. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">This is for the first time that any state was made focus state at IFFI. Veteran Israeli filmmaker Dan Wolman was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony. Another new section at IFFI this year was the screening of six Indian sports biopics as an extension of the Khelo India initiative.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In the International competition section, 15 movies were screened, out of which 3 were Indian. Festival Kaleidoscope section carried 20 critically acclaimed international films that have been to major film festivals and majority of them being multiple award winners. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">World Panorama section had 67 films which are specially curated for the festival. This included 4 World Premiers, 2 International Premiers, 15 Asia Premiers and 60 India Premiers. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">This year World Panorama section presented 15 films which are Oscar submissions from respective countries.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">At Master classes and In-Conversations, a host of film personalities interacted with delegates. Two movies, Sholay and Hichki, were also screened at this year's IFFI as part of a special package for visually impaired persons. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Retrospective section of Ingmar Bergman in connection with his birth centenary celebration was another speciality of the festival. </span><br />''