Italian refugee drama 'Despite the Fog' to open IFFI, 'Marghe and Her Mother' to close

Refugee drama "Despite the Fog", about a child refugee and a grieving Italian couple keen to adopt him, will open the 50th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) while renowned Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf's "Marghe and Her Mother" will bring the curtains down.

Directed by Serbian filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic, "Despite the Fog" highlights the struggle of refugee minors wandering the streets in Europe through the story of Ali-Musa Sarhan, whose parents drown while travelling by a rubber boat on the Italian coast.

He is accepted by a couple who have lost their child but they face hostility from the society and their own family caught in the xenophobic fog.

"Marghe and Her Mother" is about a 6-year-old who lives with her single mother Claudia who's been kicked out of her house because of payment difficulties, leaving Marghe to an old woman next door.

The festival will also screen a 5-7 minute short film at the opening ceremony that will trace the journey of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who was instrumental in getting IFFI to Goa in 2004 and making it the festival's permanent venue since then.