Oslo: A tail of promise to premiere at IFFI 2025, John Abraham calls it a tribute to Animal Wisdom

Oslo: A tail of promise to premiere at IFFI 2025, John Abraham calls it a tribute to Animal Wisdom

Oslo: A Tail of Promise is stepping into IFFI 2025 with the kind of quiet power that doesn’t need spectacle to make itself heard. The 56th International Film Festival of India will screen more than 240 films from 81 countries, but this one carries an emotional texture that stands out. India is in the middle of a cultural shift in how it views animals, compassion and coexistence, and this premiere lands right in the heart of that conversation.

The film follows Oslo, a Siberian husky whose presence changed the life of Pooja R Bhale, founder of the Protecterra Ecological Foundation. Instead of telling their story in a straight line, director Isha Pungaliya lets it unfold like memory does – looping, drifting and returning to the moments that shape a bond. The result is a non-linear documentary that captures the instinctive communication between a human and an animal who becomes far more than a companion.

John Abraham, who presents and produces the film, has long been vocal about animal welfare. His connection to this story is personal. As he puts it, “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.” The sentiment sits at the core of the documentary. It isn’t just about one woman and her dog. It is about the emotional intelligence of animals and the human refusal, or failure, to recognise it.

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The Indian Panorama section, where Oslo will premiere, selects only 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films every year from more than 300 entries. Being part of this showcase signals that the festival sees the film as more than an intimate portrait. It sees it as a necessary conversation.

Oslo: A Tail of Promise comes from JA Entertainment, Protecterra Ecological Foundation and Vaanar Nirmit. It brings together filmmaking, advocacy and a deep respect for the natural world. In a festival packed with scale, spectacle and global cinema, this documentary offers something different – a reminder that some of the most important stories are the ones told in silence, trust and the space between a human heartbeat and an animal’s gaze.