Entries open for Films Division’s Mumbai International Documentary Festival

 
Entries for the Mumbai International Film Festival 2018 for Documentary, Short  and Animation Films are now open.  The biennial festival organized by the Films Division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, will be held in Mumbai from January 28 – February 3, 2018.

Documentary films, short fiction films up to 45 minutes and animation films of any duration, produced between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2017 are eligible to be entered in the International and National Competition Sections. 

Entry fee for foreign nationals is USD 50 and Indian filmmakers – Rs 1,500, for entering their films in International Competition.  For filmmakers from SAARC nations, there is a concessional entry fee of USD 30 per film.  For National Competition, the entry fee is Rs 1,000. 

The deadline for submitting entries is November 15, 2017.  Details are at www.miff.in

Awards

Explaining the changes being effected for the 2018 edition of MIFF, Director General, Films Division Manish Desai said “for the 15^th edition of MIFF, the cash prize for the top award has been doubled from Rs 5 lakhs (INR 500,000) to Rs 10 lakhs (INR 1 million). The Best Documentary Film of the Festival in the International Competition will be given this prize along with the Golden Conch Award." will be given this prize along with the Golden Conch Award." Best Short Fiction Film (up to 45 minutes) and Best Animation Film in the International Competition will get Silver Conch and Rs 5 lakh (Rs 500,000) cash prize each. 

In the National Competition, filmmakers can enter their documentaries in two categories – above 60 minutes or below 60 minutes.  Both the categories carry Silver Conch Award and Rs 5 lakhs (Rs 500,000) cash prize each.  Best Short Fiction Film and Best Animation Film will get Silver Conch and Rs 3 lakhs (Rs 300,000) cash prize each.

Pramod Pati Special Jury Award will be given in the international competition section. Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Award, instituted by the Government of Maharashtra will be given to the Best Debut Film of the Director.  IDPA  (Indian Documentary Producers’ Association) Trophy along with cash prize will be given to the Best Student Film.  Technical Awards will be given in the fields of cinematography, editing and sound design.

All the awards in the competition category will be decided by a 5 member International Jury, comprising 3 foreign nationals and two Indians and a National Jury comprising 2 foreign nationals and 3 Indians.

About MIFF

MIFF, started in 1990 is the oldest competitive festival for documentary, short and animation films in South Asia.  The festival aims to provide a platform for documentary film makers from all over the world to meet, exchange ideas, explore possibilities of co-productions and marketing of documentary, short and animation films.

The activities of the festival are being guided by the Organizing Committee chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, N K Sinha with  eminent filmmakers, documentary producers, film critics and marketing experts as members.