Indian cinema is one of the most profilic film industry in the world, releasing over 1000 of films in a year in muliple languages. Alongside global popularity of Indian films, film festival like International Film Festival of India (IFFI), International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF), and others are also gaining recognition worldwide. Let’s exlpore this guide and know different types Indian Film Festivals.
Indian Film Festivals: India is known for its rich cinematic heritage and hosts some of the most celebrated film festivals of India that have gained recognition across the globe. These film festivals not only highlight Bollywood blockbusters but also bring attention to independent films, regional cinema, and arthouse creations.
From glamorous red carpets to thought-provoking screenings, the Top Indian Film Festivals around the world serve as prestigious platforms for filmmakers, critics, and cinephiles alike.
Each Indian film festival holds historical significance, cultural value and contributes immensely to shaping the identity of Indian cinema on the international stage.
Read this National Film Awards 2025 blog and explore the top film festivals in India that showcase the diverse essence of storytelling, creativity, and cinematic brilliance.
Read: Top 10 Most Prestigious Film Awards in the World
List of Film Festivals in India | All Indian Film Festivals
Several film festivals of India are celebrated across the world, and some are in India, where the artists, filmmakers, film technicians, singers, and other artists gather under one roof. Below is the list of popular Indian Film Festivals.
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF)
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) is one of the prestigious awards in the Indian film industry. It is also known as one of the popular Indian Film festivals, celebrated nationwide. First presented in 1969 and introduced by the government of India, commemorates Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema.
Dada Phalke, who is also known as and often regarded as the “Father of Indian Cinema“. He was an Indian filmmaker who created India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913, sparking the birth of Indian cinema, laying the foundation for a vibrant, thriving industry cherished by millions today.
It was first awarded to Devika Rani, widely known as “the first lady of Indian cinema”, who made her debut in the film Karma (1933), which was the first Indian English-language film and the first Indian film to feature an on-screen kiss.
International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was founded by the Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, on 21 February 1952. It is an annual film festival currently held in Goa on the western coast of India.
The festival provides a global platform to showcase cinematic excellence, celebrate diverse film cultures, and promote international friendship and cooperation.
The International Film Festival of India is organized every year jointly by the National Film Development Corporation of India (under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) and the state Government of Goa.
International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK)
The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is an annual Indian film festival held in the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. The film festival was inaugurated in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala.
The festival is held in November and December every year and is known as one of the leading cultural events in India, where several national and international films have their premieres at the IFFK each year.
In this film festival, the competition section is limited to 14 selected films produced in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The festival also has a section devoted to Malayalam cinema.
Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF)
The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is an annual film festival held in Kolkata, India, every year. It is the third-oldest international film festival in India, founded in 1995, and is organized by the West Bengal Film Center under the West Bengal Government.
A 1966 Bengali film, Galpo Holeo Satti by Tapan Sinha, opened the first edition of the film festival. The festival awards were distributed in 7 categories, including International Competition: Innovation in Moving Images – Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury, FIPRESCI AWARD, NETPAC Award, and more.
The Kolkata International Film Festival winners were awarded with the Golden or Silver Royal Bengal Tiger.
Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI)
The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is an Indian film festival organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image, founded by a group of Indian film industry stalwarts in 1997.
The film festival was created to engage film lovers nationwide and promote quality cinema by showcasing the best of indian and global films.
The Academy’s vision is to celebrate cinema by hosting the annual international film festival in Mumbai, widely regarded as India’s film and entertainment capital.
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is an annual event in Melbourne, established in 2010. Initially, it received funding from the Victoria State Government. Film Victoria presents the festival, and the provider is selected through a tender process.
Currently, mind-blowing films are run by Mitu Bhowmick Lange, who is the Festival Director of IFFM. The festival has secured State Government funding until 2018.
The goal of the film festival is to showcase Indian cinema to the Australian audience. The festival has streamed Bollywood films, Indie movies, documentaries, regional cinema from India, etc.
Additionally, it hosts short film competitions, dance competitions, and a flag-hoisting ceremony coinciding with the Indian Independence Day celebrations in Melbourne.
London Indian Film Festival (LIFF)
The London Indian Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2010 to represent Indian independent film. The festival gained media attention in its first edition, premiering films such as “Love Sex aur Dhokha” by Dibakar Banerjee.
Awards given at the festival include a short film competition award and an Audience Prize. It is one of Europe’s largest South Asian Film Festivals and is sponsored by the BFI’s National Lottery Audience Fund.
Ladakh International Film Festival
The Ladakh International Film Festival (LIFF) is an international film festival that is held annually in Ladakh, India. Established in 2012, in its first edition of International Film Festival was held in the Himalayan town of Leh, Ladakh.
Situated at an elevation exceeding 11,000 feet (3350 meters), it stands as the world’s highest-altitude film festival. One of its central themes is wildlife conservation.
In collaboration with the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, the festival presents the Snow Leopard Trophy to the most educational or inspiring film highlighting an endangered species.
Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF)
The Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) is an international film festival held annually in the Himalayan town of McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala in India, home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile since 2012.
The film festival was held every year to promote contemporary cinema, art and independent media practices in the Himalayan region.
DIFF also aims to encourage local filmmaking talent and create a meaningful platform to engage with the area’s diverse communities.
Japiur International Film Festival (JIFF)
The Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) has been organized every year in Jaipur, India, since 2009, and is conducted by the Jaipur International Film Festival Trust under Hanu Roj.
It was a four-day event which was held at the Auditorium Main, Rajasthan International Center – RIC, Jaipur.
The film festival is held to celebrate excellence in the film industry in various categories, including Best Documentary Short Film, Special Jury Mention Award, Best Short Film Award, Best Director Award, Best Script Award, and more.
Aravali International Film Festival (AIFF)
The Aravali International Film Festival (AIFF) is a festival that is named after Aravali, a mountain range in the northwest part of India. The Festival aims to capture all the beauties of this cultural diversity along with international cinema.
This is relatively a young event; its first and second edition was held in Delhi and Alwar in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The festival represents cinema of all genres, lengths, and budgets, including music videos and pilots for TV and web series. The festival is organized by Avnish Rajvanshi International.
The event invites all filmmakers, especially independent filmmakers and film lovers, to the world of cinematic excellence at the Aravali International Film Festival.
All Lights India International Film Festival
All Lights India International Film Festival (ALIIFF) is an annual film festival of India conducted in Hyderabad. It is usually held in December every year. It was founded by Sohan Roy, and the first edition of ALIIFF was held in 2015 in Kochi, Kerala.
ALIIFF is a part of the Indywood Film Carnival that has introduced some notable films, such as Theeb, which later went on to win the Oscar in the Foreign Films category in 2015.
Some renowned regional superstars like Mohanlal, Kamal Haasan, and Venkatesh have supported the event in previous years. The event is managed by the All Lights Film Society, and Nisha Joseph aka Nisha Jose, is the Artistic Director of ALIIFF.
Mumbai International Film Festival
The Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short, and Animation Films (MIFF) is a film festival organized in the city of Mumbai by the Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
The film festival was inaugurated in 1990 and focuses on Documentary, short fiction, and animation films.
The festival celebrated, intending to provide a platform for documentary and short film makers from all over the world to meet, exchange ideas, and explore possibilities of co-production and marketing of documentary, short, and animation films.
Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF)
The Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF) is an Indian film festival organized in the city of Chennai by the film society, Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF), with the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, and the Film Federation of India.
The festival aims to provide a platform for filmmakers to express themselves, promote cross-cultural understanding, showcase cinematic excellence, and foster global friendship and cooperation through the art of film.
The festival has been held since 2002, showcasing over 100 international and Indian feature films. Indian entries are categorized into Tamil (12 films) and Indian Panorama (12 films).
The film festival awards include:
- Best Film
- Second Best Film
- Special Jury Award for individual excellence
- Online Film Buff Award
- Amitabh Bachchan Youth Icon Award, from 2013
Read: Top 5 Film Awards in India
Other Notable Indian Film Festivals Across the World
- Pune International Film Festival (PIFF): India
- Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFF): India
- Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA): USA
- Indian Film Festival of Toronto (IFFT): Canada
- Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart (IFFS): Germany
- Indian Film Festival of Paris (IFFP): France
- Indian Film Festival of Japan (IFFJ): Japan
- Indian Film Festival of Australia (IFFA): Australia
- Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (IFFNZ): New Zealand
Conclusion
These are some notable Indian Film Festivals that are held every year to celebrate the excellence in Indian cinema worldwide. By reading all the details related to all Indian Film Festivals, you may know all about them. If you find this article helpful, please share and comment below.
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