The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), India’s premier festival for documentary, short fiction, animation, and AI-generated films, commenced this week with a grand inaugural ceremony at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Mumbai.
Organized by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, MIFF is South Asia’s oldest and largest festival dedicated to non-feature films. The festival, running through June 21, showcases films in more than 42 Indian languages and over 30 languages from outside India, reflecting its global reach and cultural diversity.
The opening day witnessed the arrival of distinguished guests, filmmakers and delegates, followed by the inaugural ceremony attended by eminent personalities from the film and cultural sectors.
Actor Jaideep Ahlawat was honored for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. (Photo courtesy: X@nfdcindia)
Among the opening films was Sara Dosa’s 'Time and Water', which examines the threat to Iceland’s glaciers from rampaging climate change and overheated oceans. In addition, the opening films included the short fiction Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero (Philippines) and the animated short Good Luck to You All by Cordell Barker (Canada).
One of the highlights of the festival was the felicitation of acclaimed actor Jaideep Ahlawat for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. Receiving the recognition, Ahlawat expressed his gratitude and acknowledged the importance of festivals such as MIFF in creating space for meaningful storytelling and encouraging cinematic voices beyond mainstream narratives.
