With the successful completion of eleven editions of the International Film Festival of Shimla, We are happy & proud to announce the 12th International Film Festival of Shimla "IFFS 2026" which will be held in the capital city of Himachal Pradesh in Historical Gaiety Theatre, Shimla. Besides the other venue for the screening is Model Central Jail Kanda, Shimla & Model Central Jail Nahan, Sirmaur where special screening of films will be for the prisoners. The Festival will include Film Screenings and Competitions for Short, Feature, Documentary, Animation, Music Videos, Master Classes, and Workshops on Film Making.

The first-ever International Film Festival of Shimla for Documentary, Short, Feature and Animation Films, Music Videos was held in the year Oct 2015. The city of Shimla is the permanent venue of the festival. The festival is a unique venture in India and is being organized by the Himalayan Velocity in collaboration with the Department of Language & Culture (LAC) & Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation, Government of Himachal Pradesh as part of its endeavor to catalyze a vibrant Documentary, Short Film, Feature Films, Animation Films & Music Videos movement. Increasing accessibility and affordability of media technology have led to a boom in the production and scope of films. The media is now used by image-makers from all walks of life to express, experiment, learn and as an effective tool to communicate and bring about social change. The mission of this film festival is to showcase the World’s Best Cinema and develop taste for Good Cinema among the youths and to provide a platform for Independent Filmmakers & to promote Indian Regional Cinema.

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes

Competitive Sections:
a) International Level Competition
b) National Level Competition (Indians Only)
c) State Level Competition (For Bonafide Himachali only)

Non-Competitive Sections:
a) IFFS Symbiosis
b) Retrospectives/Special Packages/Homage
c) IFFS- Buransh- Films that miss final selection but recommended by the Selection Committee, shall be included in this section.

In competition following awards will be given for Categories:
*Best Long Documentary Awards
*Best Short Documentary Awards
*Best Short Fiction Film Awards
*Best Feature Film Awards
*Best Animation Film Awards
*Best Music Video Awards
*Best Student Film Awards
*Best Web Series Awards
*Best AI Film Awards
*Special Jury Awards, Festival Mention Awards, and Audience Choice Awards

The winner will be honored by the Festival Chief Guest with a festival trophy, cash prize, and certificates on the closing ceremony day.

Rules & Terms

A) Rules and Regulations for Competitive Sections:

1. There will be an International Level Competition for Films made in India or abroad by Foreign Filmmakers between 1st January 2024 and 15th June 2026.

2. There will be a National Level Competition for Films made in India by Indian Citizen Filmmaker between 1st January 2024 and 15th June 2026.

3. There will be a State Level competition for Films made in Himachal by Bonafide Himachali Only between 1st January 2024 and 15th June 2026.

4. All Indian films participating in the competition have to submit a CBFC certificate or give a self-attestation that the film and music video has been completed between 1st January 2024 and 15th June 2026. (both days inclusive). Same rule applicable for State Level competition (Bonafide Himachali)

5. The festival absolves itself of any liability in case of dispute regarding the completion date of the entry.

6. Films must be available for Festival Screening on one of the following formats: High Quality Hard Disk/Pan Drive or High-Resolution Downloadable link (File Size under 5 GB).

7. No works in progress maybe submitted.

8. Only the films entered in the competition category will be considered for Competition.

9. Only selected films will be intimated by email. No letters of non- acceptance will be sent. All lists will be available on the website (www.iffs.in).

10. All non-English-speaking projects must have English subtitles.

11. One film can be entered in one competition section only, either in International, National or State.

12. Film(s) entered / screened in earlier IFFS editions / shorter version(s) / revised, or re-edited version of film(s) will not be eligible.​

13. Film can be entered by any organization / agency or by individual film Producer /Director who holds the copyright. There is no restriction on number of entries.

14. Once a film has been selected it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival Program during the event.

15. Entry Fee: The entry fee is non-refundable.

16. JURY: -

a) A duly constituted International Jury and National & State Jury shall determine the winning films in respective categories. The decision of the Jury will be final and binding on all.

​b) The Jury reserves the right to withhold an award in any category where no entry, in the Jury's view, meet the standards for award / recognition. It also reserves the right to recommend sharing of award(s) in any category and to recommend special Jury award/Certificate of Merit.

17. Copy of the award-winning films will be retained by the IFFS for Festival Archive/Non-Commercial Screening.

18. ​The IFFS will have the right to Screen Award Winning Films & IFFS Buransh films in different places in India on non-commercial basis for promotion/publicity of documentaries/IFFS.

19. The Director of the Film Festival has the power to waive any of the above-mentioned rules.

20. ​It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted material included in the film. IFFS will not be held responsible for the unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted material within or relating to the submitted film. IFFS reserves the right to disqualify any film with any unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted material.

​21. The festival assumes the submitter has accepted the terms of the festival mentioned here and is authorized to submit the film and the festival indemnifies itself against any legal or other action in this matter.

22. ​Participation in the festival implies acceptance of Festival Regulations.

23. For Student Films To be eligible for inclusion, the applicant must be between 12 and 25 years old as of June 15, 2026.

B) General Rules for Film Submission:

1. Regular Deadline for submitting the Film is 15 June 2026.

2. All submitted films must carry English subtitles.

3. ​Films screened once before the Selection Committee CANNOT be re-entered.

4. Directors of Films in Competition will be invited to attend the Festival with Local Hospitality.

5. Preview Material:

a) FILMFREEWAY:
Film Submitter is required to submit film in H.264/MOV/MP4 (under 5 GB with 1920x1080 resolution) through Google Drive/Vimeo/any other downloadable link only.
Soft copy containing Director’s Photograph, Bio-data, Filmography, Synopsis of the Film, Stills of the Film, Posters and pamphlets along-with Film Promos/Trailers has to be updated in the Submitter Film Freeway Account with due permission to download.

b) OFFLINE SUBMITTER:
Film Submitter is required to submit film in H.264/MOV/MP4 (under 5 GB with 1920x1080 resolution) through Google Drive/Vimeo/any other downloadable link only.

Film Preview Copy & Soft copy containing Director’s Photograph, Bio-data, Filmography, Synopsis of the Film, Stills of the Film, Posters and pamphlets along-with Film Promos/Trailers on email ID: iffshimla@gmail.com

6. Publicity: If selected for the festival the entrant must undertake to provide publicity clippings and posters and promo/teaser of the film for the use of the festival.

7. For Promotion/Publicity of IFFS, clippings from Officially Selected Films in the festival shall be shown on the National/International /Local Television Networks/Cinemas/Social Media Platforms/ Internet etc.

​8. Request for fee waiver shall not be entertained.

9. IFFS (International Film Festival of Shimla) is under no obligation to provide comments or feedback regarding the film entered to the entrant or any other representative.

63 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jorge Morais

    I would especially like to highlight the quality of communication from the organizing team, who consistently demonstrated professionalism, approachability, and a clear commitment to both the audience and the participants.
    The presentation of the selected works was another of the festival’s great strengths. The curation showcased a diverse, bold, and deeply human perspective, resulting in a program rich in content, style, and cinematic vision.
    It is true that unforeseen circumstances beyond the festival’s control caused some disruptions to the scheduled program. However, I must commend the organization for handling these challenges with transparency and a strong sense of responsibility, responding quickly and professionally to the situation.
    Despite these obstacles, I hold the International Film Festival of Shimla in very high regard. The passion, dedication, and love for cinema that this event embodies make it an unmissable gathering for those of us who believe in the power of film as a tool for expression and cultural transformation.

    Jorge Morais
    Director of In Half

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • A Life Inside Me

    We’re deeply grateful to the International Film Festival of Shimla for selecting A Life Inside Me. Thank you for embracing a story many overlook—your belief meant so much to our team and cast. Though the screening couldn’t happen due to the disaster in Himachal, we fully support the safety-first call and send strength to the community. Special thanks to Pushp Thakur, Pragya Sharma, and the entire IFFS team. We look forward to the future—to the films we’ve yet to make—and hope to celebrate them with IFFS. Thank you for seeing us and our stories.

    — Mahi Kumar, Producer, A Life Inside Me

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Mokhless Al-Hariri

    We extend much appreciation for the laurels awarded by the International Film Festival of Shimla.
    Our film team is thrilled that "Chanting of the Dunes," our multiple award-winning film, was recognized and selected by the festival.
    Many thanks!!

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Javad HABIBPOUR

    I am honored to have been a part of this festival.

    September 2025
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  • Kankana Chakraborty

    I am completely disappointed by the lack of communication from their side. I understand that this year Shimla experienced natural weather conditions. However, the festival announced that it was not happening at the moment, and then three days later, after the event was over, the festival posted on Instagram saying that the event took place in one day. Had they informed us, those of us who wanted to attend could have been there. Furthermore, there has been no update from the festival's side about whether the film was even screened. We were nominated in the national competition level. I've spent four days trying to contact the committee to find out the results, but there has been no response or update from their end. Completely disappointed. And a waste of money.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Dear Kankana,

    We truly understand your disappointment and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. This year’s edition of the International Film Festival of Shimla was deeply affected by the recent natural disaster in Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh.
    Due to the severity of the situation, unsafe roads, and government advisories, we could not hold the festival as originally scheduled.
    In this difficult scenario, we were compelled to make the event very precise and short, held in a sensitive manner. The cancellation of programs was not only painful for participating filmmakers but also equally disheartening for us, as our team had been working hard for months to make the festival a success.
    We genuinely appreciate the patience and understanding shown by our filmmakers during this crisis. Those who managed to attend the one-day function did so at their own risk, given the prevailing conditions, but for safety reasons we could not formally invite or encourage travel.

    Regarding the results, no awards were announced during the program. All awards will be announced virtually and shared on our official website and social media platforms very soon.

    We deeply value your participation & Your concerns are important to us, and we assure you that we are taking lessons from this experience to strengthen our communication with filmmakers in the future.

    Warm regards,
    Pushp Thakur
    Festival Director