Hindi
Mumbai Film Festival to present lifetime achievement award to Zhang Yimou
MUMBAI: The Mumbai Film Festival will honour acclaimed director, producer, writer and Chinese actor Zhang Yimou with the Lifetime achievement award at the forthcoming 14th Mumbai Film Festival that would be held from 18 to 25 October.
Considered to be one of China‘s most prominent directors, the prolific director is in the league of select oriental filmmakers who have successfully made a transition to mainstream Western cinema. He has been at the helm of record breaking films such as House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Curse of The Goldern Flower, and Raise the Red Lantern among numerous others.
Zhang Yiimou has been conferred several notable international accolades including the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes for his film To Live, the Technical Grand Prize for Shanghai Triad, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Film, BAFTA‘s for To Live and Raise the Red Lantern and four different awards at the Berlin Film Festival as well as many others.
In addition to his cinematic achievements, Zhang Yimou also directed the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing Summer Olympic Games in 2008, which received widespread global acclaim.
The Mumbai Film Festival, an initiative by MAMI has been known to honour cinematic legends who have contributed to enriching the art and craft of cinema in varied capacities. Earlier recipients of this award have been Oliver Stone and Morgan Freeman respectively.
Hindi
MIFF 2026 to return to Mumbai; film entries open till April 12
19th edition to host WAVES Doc Bazaar, spotlighting global documentary talent
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026 is set to take place from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC Complex, with film submissions currently open and the deadline fast approaching on April 12.
Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the biennial festival remains one of South Asia’s most prominent platforms for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
Filmmakers, producers and content creators from across the globe have been invited to submit entries via the Film Freeway platform for the Competition Section. Offline submissions will not be accepted, reinforcing a fully digital entry process.
MIFF 2026 continues to sweeten the deal with a robust awards pool of Rs 55 lakh. The coveted Golden Conch for Best Documentary carries a top prize of Rs 10 lakh, alongside multiple awards across categories, making it one of the most lucrative non-feature film festivals in the region.
A key highlight this year will be the second edition of the WAVES Doc Bazaar, scheduled from June 16 to 18 alongside the festival. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Doc Bazaar will feature a co-production market, viewing rooms and a work-in-progress lab, bringing together global buyers, sellers and creators under one roof.
Since its inception in 1990, MIFF has built a reputation as a serious showcase for non-feature cinema, drawing participation from filmmakers worldwide. The previous edition saw over 350 films from more than 30 countries, underlining its growing international footprint.
With submissions closing soon and preparations underway, MIFF 2026 is shaping up to be a vibrant meeting point for storytelling, collaboration and cinematic craft, offering filmmakers both a stage and a springboard.
