**Executive Summary**
The 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) is scheduled to take place from June 15 to June 21, 2026, in Mumbai. The biennial event focuses on documentary, short fiction, and animation cinema, featuring 346 films from 46 countries and offering ₹45 lakh in total prize money. Key action items include free registration for students and dedicated B2B networking opportunities for industry stakeholders via the Waves Doc Bazar.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Festival Programming and Statistics**
* **Film Showcase:** A total of 346 films from 46 countries will be screened, including 144 in the Competition Section and 202 in the Non-Competition Section.
* **Opening Films:** The festival opens with *Good Luck to You All* (Animation), *Agapito* (Short Fiction), and *Time and Water* (Documentary).
* **Curated Segments:** The event features 24 curated segments, including "Mosaic," "Best of Fest," "Oscar Winners," and a "Centenary Tribute" honoring filmmaker David Attenborough.
* **Regional Focus:** New curated sections include "Marathi Films" (in partnership with Film City) and "Echoes from Northeast" to showcase regional diversity.
**Innovation and Industry Engagement**
* **AI Cinema Hackathon:** Introduction of "Mumbai Through a Thousand Eyes," a 48-hour global filmmaking challenge exploring AI-driven storytelling.
* **Waves Doc Bazar:** A marketplace for documentary discovery featuring 155 entries, a Work in Progress (WIP) Lab, and "Film Bazaar Recommends" titles.
* **B2B Networking:** Confirmed participation from major platforms and broadcasters, including Netflix, Zee, Sony, Stage OTT, and Waves OTT.
**Awards and Educational Initiatives**
* **Prize Categories:** 18 awards will be conferred across national and international categories, complemented by trophies and certificates.
* **Lifetime Achievement:** The V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented during the opening ceremony.
* **Learning Opportunities:** The festival will host 10 masterclasses on filmmaking crafts and five open forum discussions organized by the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA).
**Logistics and Media**
* **Venues:** Screenings will be held at the NFDC complex, Ravindra Natya Mandir, SVKM’s UshaPravin Gandhi College, and St Paul’s Institute of Communication Education.
* **Digital Resources:** A dedicated media microsite hosted by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) will serve as a repository for photographs and festival content.
**Impact Analysis**
**Filmmakers and Storytellers**
**Impact**
They gain an international platform for showcasing non-feature films, access to ₹45 lakh in prize money, and opportunities to learn from industry experts through masterclasses.
**Action Required**
Submit works for competition or participate in the 48-hour AI Cinema Hackathon.
**Students**
**Impact**
Students benefit from free access to world-class cinema and educational sessions, removing financial barriers to entry.
**Action Required**
Complete the registration process, which is free of charge for the 2026 edition.
**Industry Professionals and Broadcasters**
**Impact**
Platforms like Netflix and Sony can discover new documentary talent and facilitate distribution or collaboration through the Waves Doc Bazar and Viewing Room.
**Action Required**
Attend scheduled B2B meetings and evaluate entries in the Viewing Room or WIP Lab.
**Media and Journalists**
**Impact**
Journalists receive streamlined access to official stories, multimedia content, and direct interaction with filmmakers.
**Action Required**
Utilize the PIB microsite for resources and contact the MIFF media desk for interview requests using the specified subject line.
Key Entities Referenced
19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF): A biennial international film festival for non-feature films, including documentaries, short fiction, and animation, scheduled for June 2026.
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC): The primary organizing body responsible for the festival's execution, curation of film sections, and industry engagement.
Waves Doc Bazar: A key industry-focused marketplace and B2B platform within the festival dedicated to documentary discovery, collaboration, and distribution.
AI Cinema Hackathon: A first-time global filmmaking challenge titled 'Mumbai Through a Thousand Eyes' aimed at exploring AI-driven storytelling.
V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award: A prestigious recognition presented during the festival's opening ceremony to honor the contributions of legendary filmmakers.
2 Days to MIFF ...
19th Mumbai International
Film Festival to be held from
15th to 21st June, 2026
To open with the screening of Good Luck to
You All (Animation), Agapito (Short Fiction),
and Time and Water (Documentary)
346 films from 46 countries to be showcased
across Competition and Non-Competition
sections ; AI Cinema Hackathon, new
regional sections and expanded industry
engagement among key highlights of MIFF
2026
WAVES Doc Bazar to showcase 155 Entries,
Strong B2B Industry Participation at MIFF
NFDC ties up with Film City to present a
curated section of Marathi Films in the 19th
MIFF
Mumbai : 12 June 2026
The countdown has begun for the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) as
Mumbai prepares to welcome filmmakers, storytellers, industry leaders and cinema
enthusiasts from across the world for a week-long celebration of documentary, shortfiction and animation cinema. The much awaited biennial film festival for non feature
films, scheduled to be held from June 15 to 21, 2026, promises a vibrant confluence of
creativity, culture, innovation and global cinematic excellence.
Addressing a curtain raiser press conference today, Managing Director, NFDC, Prakash
Magdum said that MIFF 2026 received an overwhelming response with 1,459 film entries
from across the world. The Competition Section comprises 144 films, including 52
international and 92 national entries, representing filmmakers from 13 countries. The non
competition section will feature a total of 202 films, including 106 international titles and
96 national films from 46 participating countries, collectively presenting over 83 hours of
screenings. The section will be organised across 24 curated segments, including Mosaic,
Best of Fest, Busan Next Wave, Oscar Winners, Raimund Krumme Retrospective, NFDC
Showcase, Echoes from North East, and Marathi Films, among others, bringing together
acclaimed works, emerging voices, and regionally rooted storytelling on a single
platform. Master film maker David Attenborough will be honoured with the screening of
his two films under ‘Centenary Tribute’.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Swati Mhase Patil, Managing Director, Maharashtra Film,
Stage and Cultural Development Corporation, said, "MIFF has evolved into one of Asia's
most respected platforms for non-feature cinema, bringing together filmmakers,
producers, broadcasters, students, critics and audiences from across the globe."
Highlighting the Marathi Films section, she said that the initiative would provide an
international platform for Marathi storytelling, culture, heritage and cinematic excellence.
She further noted that Maharashtra is poised to emerge not only as India's premier
filming destination but also as a global hub for meaningful and impactful storytelling.
The renowned festival for documentaries, short fiction and animation will open with the
screening of a film across all the three formats. The Opening Films will include the
animated work Good Luck to You All, directed by Cordell Barker (Canada), the short
fiction Agapito, directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero (Philippines), and
the documentary Time and Water, directed by Sara Dosa (United States & Iceland).The Mid-Fest lineup, scheduled on 18th June, will include the animated film Eeny, Meeny,
Miny, Moe! directed by Andrea Szelesová (Czech Republic & Slovakia), the short fiction
Hyena directed by Altay Ulan Yang (United States), and the documentary I Love You, I
Leave You directed by Moris Freiburghaus (Switzerland), each offering distinct storytelling
styles and international perspectives.
The festival will confer 18 awards across international and national competition
categories, carrying a total prize money of ₹45 lakh along with trophies and certificates.
A major highlight of the opening ceremony will be the presentation of the prestigious V.
Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award, coinciding with the 125th birth anniversary year
of the legendary filmmaker.
The 19th MIFF will also feature 10 masterclasses led by renowned film practitioners,
covering filmmaking, storytelling, acting, screenwriting, and cinematography. The Indian
Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) will organize five open forum discussions on
the sideline of film screenings at 19th MIFF.
Apart from the NFDC complex, the screenings will also take place at Ravindra Natya
Mandir at Dadar & two colleges namely SVKM’s UshaPravin Gandhi College of Arts,
Science and Commerce, Ville Parle, and St Paul’s Institute of Communication Education,
Bandra West
This year's edition has also introduced two new curated sections — "Marathi Films" and
"Echoes from Northeast" — aimed at showcasing regional cinematic voices and
celebrating India's cultural diversity.
The Waves Doc Bazar section will showcase a strong industry focused selection, reflecting
its role as a key platform for documentary talent and market engagement. This year, a
total of 155 entries will be featured, alongside 5 projects in the Work in Progress (WIP)
Lab and 12 films under Film Bazaar Recommends, with the Viewing Room hosting all 155
films for industry access and evaluation. The section will also facilitate robust B2B
networking opportunities, with leading platforms and broadcasters including Netflix, Zee,
Sony, Stage OTT, and Waves OTT confirmed for meetings, reinforcing its position as a
significant marketplace for documentary discovery, collaboration, and distribution.For the first time, MIFF will host an AI Cinema Hackathon titled "Mumbai Through a
Thousand Eyes", a 48-hour global filmmaking challenge exploring AI-driven storytelling.
The festival will also feature 10 masterclasses and multiple panel discussions with
eminent filmmakers and industry experts.
Student registrations for MIFF 2026 have been kept free of charge.
A dedicated media microsite hosted by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) at https://ww
w.pib.gov.in/MIFF/2026 will serve as a comprehensive digital repository for MIFF,
featuring official stories, photographs, and multimedia content.
The presentation made at the press conference may be accessed here.
PIB Mumbai | Sriyanka Chatterejee/Robin Singh/Priti Malandkar
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