Oslo: A Tail of Promise, a documentary presented and backed by John Abraham, is set to premiere at this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Based on the animal–human bond, Oslo: A Tail of Promise traces the extraordinary companionship between a Siberian husky, Oslo and Pooja R Bhale, founder of the Protecterra Ecological Foundation.
It is a story anchored in the belief that animals have always been our guides and that humans, in times of fracture, need their wisdom more than ever.
“Animals don’t need us. We need them more, for grounding, for healing, for the unconditional love they offer without ever asking for anything in return. Oslo: A Tail of Promise is a tribute to that truth, and I am grateful that IFFI is giving this story the space it deserves,” John Abraham said in a statement.
Set to take place in Goa from 20 November to 28 November, the 56th edition of the film festival will feature over 240 films from 81 countries, including 13 world premieres, five international premieres and 44 Asian premieres.
The festival will present three international competition categories with 32 films representing five continents.
The lineup also includes award-winning titles such as the South Korean drama No Other Choice, Cannes Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, Venice Golden Lion winner Father Mother Sister Brother, Berlin Silver Bear winner The Message, and Sentimental Value by acclaimed Norwegian director Joachim Trier.
Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail has been selected as the opening film for IFFI 2025. The film was awarded the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival.
IFFI 2025 will also commemorate the birth centenaries of Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P. Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika, and Salil Chowdhury through special screenings of restored classics from their filmographies.
The Indian Panorama section will showcase 25 feature films, 20 non-feature films, and 5 debut features. Actor Raja Bundela serves as the chairperson of the feature film jury, with Dharam Gulati leading the non-feature category.
This year’s edition will also see Spain participating as the Partner Country, with Australia taking centre stage as the Spotlight Country.