The 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) from June 15-21 will screen 346 films. It received 1,459 entries globally and will feature 144 films in competition, masterclasses, an AI hackathon, and a tribute to David Attenborough.
The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) is scheduled to be held from June 15 to 21, which will include the screening of international and national films along with masterclasses from the renowned personalities of cinema.
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. At the press conference, Prakash Magdum revealed that the Competition Section comprises 144 films, including 52 international and 92 national entries, representing filmmakers from 13 countries.
Festival Highlights and Special Screenings
Whereas, the non-competition section will feature a total of 202 films, including 106 international titles and 96 national films from 46 participating countries, with the collective presentation of 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. Filmmaker and natural historian David Attenborough will also be honoured with the screening of his two films under 'Centenary Tribute'.
Speaking on the occasion, 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," as quoted in a press release by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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 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 June 18, will include the animated film Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe! directed by Andrea Szelesova (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.
Awards and Recognitions
According to the press note, the festival will confer 18 awards across international and national competition categories, carrying a total prize money of Rs 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.
Industry Connect and New Initiatives
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 organise five open forum discussions on the sidelines of film screenings at the 19th MIFF, as per the press release.
The NFDC Managing Director, Prakash Magdum, shared the details of the AI Hackathon and masterclasses, which will take place at the film festival. While talking to ANI, Magdum said, "The speciality of this lecture is that we have selected 10 topics from the masterclasses. The people who are qualified in this field will come and share their knowledge. Apart from that, we have started a documentary film bazaar. The purpose of this bazaar is that documentaries do not have much market potential. We want to keep selected documentaries in front of film distributors and streaming platforms."
"Thirdly, this time we are going to do AI film hackathon because you all know that AI as a tool is being used a lot in filmmaking. So how is it happening? What is happening in it? Because it is still an evolving medium. So in this hackathon, we want to see how the new young filmmakers use this tool. We are giving an opportunity for that in this festival. We are going to give 18 awards," added Magdum.
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.
Swati Patil, Managing Director, Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation, shared the significance of Marathi documentaries, which will screen this year at the festival. While talking to ANI, Swati Patil said, "This time we have a separate showcase for Marathi documentaries. It will be screened in Ravindra Nathya Mandir from 16 to 20. It will be screened from 6.30 to 8.30. So I request that a lot of student filmmakers and novice filmmakers should benefit from this."
Screening Venues and Additional Sections
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.
According to the press note, 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.
Student registrations for MIFF 2026 have been kept free of charge. (ANI)
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