Hindi
Five-day Australian Film Fest planned along with Ficci Frames
MUMBAI: Coinciding with the Ficci Frames 2011, scheduled to be held in Mumbai from 23 to 25 March, a five-day Australian Film Festival of India (AFFI) has also been planned in the city.
The film festival is an effort by a few Australian film professionals who wish to promote Australian films and distribution networks in emerging and traditional markets of India, Middle East and South America among others.
Averred Ficci Entertainment‘s director Leena Jaisani, “We are delighted and welcome the collaboration with An Australian Film Initiative‘s Australian Film Festival in India. Australia and India, with Frames in particular, have shared warm and increasingly beneficial relations in the area of films and media with many Australian speakers and delegates participating in Frames since it began in 2000. With AFFI and the knowledge series, Frames hopes to further strengthen the association with Australian film and media industries and welcome many more professional delegates.”
The key highlights of the festival would include a premiere of a latest Australian film, retrospective of internationally-acclaimed Australian director Bill Bennett, knowledge series and master classes by Australian film professionals and a financial grant for development of an Indo-Australian screen project.
“AFFI is a brilliant and much needed initiative and I am enormously thrilled to be a part of it. A Bill Bennett retrospective for our inaugural event is a fantastic way of introducing the essence of Australian cinema to the Indian production industry and the broader Indian audience,” said AFFI co-director and veteran Australian film critic Peter Castaldi in a statement.
While the film screenings will be held on 26 and 27 March, the knowledge series has been integrated with the Ficci-Frames 2011.
THE AFFI is soon set to become an annual affair.
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.
