[1] In the 49th event new sections such as "Sketch on Screen (Animation Film Package)", "A Retrospective of Masters" are inculcated.
[2][3][4] [6] On 22 November 2018 delegates who had gathered to watch the Danish crime thriller The Guilty began protesting at Kala Academy when they were not allowed to enter the theater.
In the resulting argument, Rajendra Talak, vice-chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), was quoted as asking delegates from Kerala to "go back home".
A complaint was filed by Kerala-based director Kamal KM to IFFI CEO, Ameya Abhyankar.
Following this, 29 other Malayali delegates, including 11 National Film winners like Dileesh Pothen and Dr Biju, signed a petition requesting a formal apology from Talak.