Poland’s Silver shines brightest as MIFF 2026 crowns global cinema winners

MUMBAI: Silver proved to be worth its weight in gold at the closing ceremony of the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival, where filmmakers from across the world were honoured for outstanding achievements in documentary, short fiction and animation cinema.

The festival’s top honour, the Golden Conch for Best Documentary Film of the Festival, went to Polish documentary Silver, directed by Natalia Koniarz and produced by Maciej Kubicki. The jury praised the film as a powerful and poetic examination of poverty, labour and human dignity, noting its ability to transform a local story into a reflection on wider global inequalities.

The award was accepted on behalf of the filmmakers by Malgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Polish Institute, during a glittering ceremony at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Dadar.

Indian cinema also enjoyed a strong showing in the National Competition, with three films securing Silver Conch honours across major categories.

The Silver Conch for Best Indian Animation Film was awarded to Armstrong from Angaalamman Temple Street, directed and produced by Bhuvanesh M. Kumar, also known as Bunz. The jury commended the film’s imaginative vision of the future and its thoughtful commentary on tradition, change and social transformation.

The Silver Conch for Best Indian Short Fiction Film went to Small Clouds, directed by Shubham Sumit and produced by Dhiraj Singh. The jury highlighted the film’s tender coming-of-age story, praising its evocative portrayal of childhood, separation and memory against a backdrop of misty coastlines and rain-soaked landscapes.

Meanwhile, the Silver Conch for Best Indian Documentary Film was awarded to Waai, directed by Sainath S. Uskaikar and produced by Bharatbala Ganapathy. The film was recognised for documenting a fading nomadic musical tradition and exploring themes of heritage, memory and cultural continuity.

Global filmmakers also made a strong impression in the International Competition section.

Germany’s Maya’s Song, directed and produced by Franziska Schönenberger and Jayakrishnan Subramanian, won the Silver Conch for Best Animation Film. The jury described it as an emotionally rich and imaginative work that explores identity, belonging and self-discovery through universally relatable storytelling.

The Silver Conch for Best International Short Fiction Film was awarded to Iran’s Under The Snow, directed by Nafiseh Zare. The jury applauded the film’s nuanced portrayal of a young woman navigating personal truth and societal expectations, calling it both courageous and deeply affecting.

Beyond the headline awards, several filmmakers were recognised for excellence across specialised categories. Pradeep Kenchanuru received the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize for The Hug of Emptiness, while Milan Kumar won the IDPA Award for Best Student Film for The Old Bull Knows, or Once Knew.

Pooja Tolani was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Award for Best Debut Director for Razaa. The Special Award for Best Short Film on Viksit Bharat / 150 Years of Vande Mataram / Bharat@2026 went to The Last Shelter, while Taiwanese filmmaker Chuan-Ying Liao received the Pramod Pati Special Jury Award for Most Innovative/Experimental Film for The Hoarders.

Technical honours in the National Competition recognised Bigyna Dahal for Best Sound Design for Kovarty, Akhil Krishnan for Best Editing for MAYDAY and Ranadhir Biswas for Best Cinematography for Small Clouds.

In the International Competition, Abhay Rumde won Best Sound Design for Deva Aaj Pan Vhay, while Evgeny Smirnov and Maksim Smirnov were recognised for Best Editing for About the Cow. Best Cinematography went to Krish Makhija for Turtle Walker.

The closing ceremony was attended by Jishnu Dev Varma, Dhirendra Ojha, Prabhat, Ashutosh Gowarikar and Prakash Magdum, alongside filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts from around the world.

As the festival drew to a close, audiences were treated to a screening of the Golden Conch-winning Silver, bringing the curtain down on a week that celebrated the power of storytelling across cultures, languages and cinematic forms. With awards handed out and applause fading into memory, MIFF now sets its sights on returning in 2028 with another showcase of the world’s most compelling non-feature cinema.