Global Audiences

Indic Film Utsav opened submissions in 2020, inviting independent filmmakers from around the world to showcase films rooted in India’s cultural inheritance, civilizational traditions and lived experiences. The inaugural edition, held online from November 12–15, 2020, sought to bring distinctive Indian stories to audiences across geographical boundaries.

Hosted on FilmFreeway, the festival accepted entries across five competitive categories: Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Ultra-shorts and Episodic Pilots. Awards carried prize money of up to ₹1,00,000, along with festival laurels. Selected films could also receive premier screening status.

A Global Platform for Indic Stories

Harikiran Vadlamani, Founder of Indic Academy, explained the rationale behind the online format and the festival’s focus on indigenous and Indic civilizational narratives:

“The audience for Indian indie films is a very global audience. Therefore, we have chosen to go the online streaming route for our festival. Indic Film Utsav is focused on forgotten and untold indigenous and Indic civilizational stories that inspire, uplift, challenge and captivate audiences.”

Danji Thotapalli, Chief Curator and Festival Director, invited submissions spanning Indian arts and culture and a broad range of genres, including action, romance, comedy, horror, drama, musicals, fantasy, religious films, children’s cinema, science fiction, parody and biopics. The emphasis was on films with a positive story to tell.

Nikita Vyas Hattangady, Head of Programming, announced an Early Bird submission window with no entry fee for films submitted before September 11, 2020. The regular submission deadline was October 1, 2020, with a nominal entry fee.

Christian Frost, Head of Filmmaker Liaison, invited independent filmmakers worldwide to participate and offered assistance with submissions and festival panels. Eligible films had to be completed after January 1, 2018, and applicants had to be at least 18 years old, irrespective of nationality or place of residence.

Festival Details: Inaugural Edition

• Festival dates: November 12–15, 2020
• Early Bird deadline: September 11, 2020
• Regular submission deadline: October 1, 2020
• Competition categories: Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Ultra-shorts and Episodic Pilots
• Prize money: Up to ₹1,00,000
• Submission platform: FilmFreeway

The submission window and inaugural festival are now historical. The dates and submission details above refer to the 2020 edition and should not be interpreted as a current call for entries. For information about subsequent editions and current activities, visit the Center for Indic Films.

Indic Film Utsav established a platform for independent filmmakers to bring India’s forgotten memories, untold stories and civilizational narratives to a global audience through cinema.