Hindi
Australian Film Festival goes underway
MUMBAI: The first Australian Film Festival of India (AFFI) in Mumbai kick started on 26 March at Cinemax, Versova. The festival will screen films by noted Australian director Bill Bennett and other films made by the Australian film fraternity.
The festival will feature 20 films including Paperback Hero starring Hugh Jackman and Bennett’s Kiss or Kill among others.
Said AAFI, director Anupam Sharma, “The initiative started with a single idea of Cinema-sharing responsibilities between countries and India is our first initiative solely due to its ever-growing popularity, wide reach and common emotional ties towards Cinema. The festival will give the Indian audience a glimpse of our cinematic sensibilities and we are proud to have this in India, a land where Cinema plays a pivotal role.”
The AFFI is a two-day festival organised by An Australian Film Initiative, a recognised body that seeks to market, promote and distribute Australian screen culture in emerging and non-traditional markets.
The initiative is a brainchild of Sydney-based filmmaker Sharma, film critic and festival director Peter Castaldi, Shahnaab Alam and Bennett.
The AFFI will end on 27 March.
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.
