Promoting short films and documentaries culture in a country where commercial cinema has always ruled the roost is not an easy task. Delhi Shorts International Film Festival is one such successful effort started in year 2012 by Miniboxoffice with successful 2012 to 2025 editions. The festival brings thoughtful, highly creative & engaging short films from around the world to fulfill the cinegoers' appetite of the capital city of India. The festival aim is to establish a short film industry which runs parallel to commercial cinema.

15th Delhi Shorts International Film Festival-2026 is meant to grow many folds. The inaugural year 2012 was a big success followed by super successful previous editions & enjoys the credibility of one of the most trusted short film festival of India. The festival was not only embraced by the short filmmaker’s but regarded by the media & industry members also.

The festival objective is to boost-up the short film market & providing exhibition platform to short filmmakers. The festival gives the professional networking opportunities & at the same time introduces the latest trends in cinema to the filmmakers. 15th DSIFF-26 is a unique platform here you can share, learn, showcase, observe & do many more thing to polish your creative & technical skills. We hope that this festival will turn a milestone in your filmmaking career.

Awards & Prizes

Production Awards

Best Short Film
Best Animation
Best Documentary
Best Music Video
Best Director
Special Festival Mention
Honorable Jury Mention
Best Ad Film

Creative Awards

Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Screenplay
Best VFX

Performance Awards

Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress

Music Awards

Best Original Music
Best Background Music

Every official selected film in DSIFF will enjoy following benefits-

Promotion & Marketing:

Listing on fest website in official selection section.
Lifetime dedicated film page on fest website in catalogue.
Film team video interviews will be published in Filmmaker’s Cut and promoted on social media.
Film Pitch video will be published in Film Market and promoted among industry professionals.
Film article in News & blog on festival website.

Film Market & Distribution:

Miniboxoffice Film Market subscription for 03 months.
Film Distribution, Sales, Pitching & networking opportunities.
Personal page, project listing & future opportunities.

Recognition & Awards:

Every submitted film will get certificate of participation.
Every officially selected film will get Certificate of Excellence- Official Selection certificate.
Every Award Winner will get Certificate of Excellence- Award Certificate & Trophy.
Every festival attendee will get festival mementos.

Feedback & Criticism:

Festival provide a unique opportunity for every filmmaker to get Jury score sheet in order to understand ‘how the movie performed in festival’ and for scope of improvement.
Audience interaction after film screening.

Learning & Exchange

Master Classes on various current topics & trends.
Culture & business exchange with fellow filmmakers.

Rules & Terms

Rules and Regulations:

14th Delhi Shorts International Film Festival-2025

1. Every official selected film in DSIFF will enjoy following benefits-

Promotion & Marketing:

Listing on fest website in official selection section.
Lifetime dedicated film page on fest website in catalogue.
Film team video interviews will be published in Filmmaker’s Cut and promoted on social media.
Film Pitch video will be published in Film Market and promoted among industry professionals.
Film article in News & blog on festival website.

Film Market & Distribution:

Miniboxoffice Film Market subscription for 03 months.
Film Distribution, Sales, Pitching & networking opportunities.
Personal page, project listing & future opportunities.

Recognition & Awards:

Every submitted film will get certificate of participation.
Every officially selected film will get Certificate of Excellence- Official Selection certificate.
Every Award Winner will get Certificate of Excellence- Award Certificate & Trophy.
Every festival attendee will get festival mementos.

Feedback & Criticism:

Festival provide a unique opportunity for every filmmaker to get Jury score sheet in order to understand ‘how the movie performed in festival’ and for scope of improvement.
Audience interaction after film screening.

Learning & Exchange

Master Classes on various current topics & trends.
Culture & business exchange with fellow filmmakers.

2. Awards for both professional and students category-

Production Awards

❏ Best Short Film
❏ Best Animation
❏ Best Documentary
❏ Best Music Video
❏ Honorable Jury Mention
❏ Best Director
❏ Special Festival Mention
❏ Best Ad Film

Creative Awards

❏ Best Cinematography
❏ Best Editing
❏Best Screenplay
❏ Best VFX

Performance Awards

❏ Best Actor
❏ Best Actress

Music Awards

❏ Best Original Music
❏ Best Background Music

3. Eligibility:

Film must be subtitled in English if language is other than English and Hindi.
Year of production: Jan-2024 onwards
Short Film, animation & documentary: up-to 60min
Music Video: up-to 07 min & Ad Film- any duration

4. Films participated in DSIFF-2012 to 2025 are not eligible for participation in 2026.

5. The decision of the Jury will be final and can’t be challenged.

6. DSIFF-26 stages/process:

• Entry submission as per rules & regulations.
• Notification of shortlisted regular entries by the festival office on 30 Sept 2026 & shortlisted late entries notification on 05 Oct 2026.
• Delegate registration to attend DSIFF-26 at Delhi. All filmmakers must have registered as delegate to attend the festival. Hospitality charges are applicable for filmmakers & attendees, which include lunch, tea/coffee with cookies & master classes.
• Festival movies screening & workshops followed by award ceremony in Delhi on 17 Oct 2026.

7. Delhi Shorts International Film Festival-26 does not take any type financial commitment for the expense incurred on the correspondence by the participant. All Travel, Lodging & Boarding and other miscellaneous expenses will have to be borne by the participant himself for attending the festival. No request for the same will be entertained. The actual postal charges shall be applicable in order to receive the physical copy of certificate/ trophy via post.

8. Once the film submitted can’t be withdrawn in any circumstances, however festival director reserve the rights to disqualify any film on certain grounds.

9. By submitting movie to Delhi Shorts International Film Festival, filmmaker/producer takes the whole responsibility of copyright issues of music, script and other creative and technical aspects of film.
40 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nigel Foote

    we are pleased to part of it, many thanks.

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Roberto Junqueira

    It was a wonderful experience to attend the festival, whose communication, quality of the selected entries, and professionalism were very good. Furthermore, I'd like to thank the festival coordinator Ram for his goodwill and the help he offered me, as well as thank the ones responsible for giving the best feature screenplay award to my script "Mirdad, A Lighthouse And A Haven," which was contending in the script contest category.

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Michael Fantauzzi

    Thank you very much! It was a plesaure to be with you.

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Brittney Brackett

    The 2025 Delhi Shorts International Film Festival was so organized, thoughtful and kind to recognize us with the award for Best Script for my documentary film, Grounded: Creating Space for Black Peace. Grateful for the genuine spotlight on educating the community about the importance of tuning in to youth mental health and mindfulness!

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Tấn Dũng Nguyễn Phúc

    A truly meaningful film festival for me. You guys are so enthusiastic and open. I hope to learn more from Delhi Fes Film about filmmaking, project documentation, funding, to develop myself further in my upcoming projects.

    November 2025
    Helpful