Seven months of being locked in the confines of our homes, cinephiles across the world are inevitably missing the lack of intimacy and fervour at film festivals. With red carpets stacked away and ticket counters shut, the frenzy seems compromised. But film aficionados vouch that the magic of movies stays pure even on a home screen.

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which is usually hosted in August annually since the last 10 years, is going virtual this year. Though festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange had hoped to do a compact schedule at the original venue, the festival will now be hosted virtually between October 23 and October 30. The films will stream free at the official website of the festival.