This year, MIFF sessions open by exploring the latest, recent and trending currents shaping world cinema. As short vertical series content explodes across digital platforms, this session examines whether the rise of "micro-drama" is redefining cinematic storytelling or solely reducing the production cost and screen time. Bringing unique perspectives from the front lines of digital innovation and traditional narratives, Saameer Mody, Archana Kavi, and Ujjwal Chopra will dissect the rapid production cycles, monetization strategies, and acting challenges that define this changing phenomenon. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the panel will discuss whether this format is a sustainable evolutionary step for entertainment or a fleeting trend sacrificing depth for clicks. They will also explore what this massive shift means for the future of creators, performers, and the art of storytelling itself.
In this inaugural Workshop session, acclaimed screenwriter Biplab Goswami,whose award-winning script Two Brides was adapted into the Oscar-celebrated feature film Laapataa Ladies, will directly teach us from his personal journey of winning the IIFA and TOIFA 2025 awards for Best Original Story. He will break down the essential anatomy of powerful scene construction to give participants practical, professional insights on creating narrative friction, character, and emotional depth into their own screenplays.
This masterclass explores how Konstantin Stanislavski devoted his life to one essential question: how can we recognize living human truth and distinguish it from imitation? Through his life, his encounter with Anton Chekhov, the birth of the Moscow Art Theatre, and the evolution of his System, the masterclass will show how Stanislavski transformed the way we observe human presence, silence, rhythm, behaviour, inner life and authenticity. The topic will be connected to documentary cinema, short films and animation, because every cinematic form deals with the same essential question: how to reveal what is alive, truthful and human on screen. In a poetic sense, before documentary cinema became a language, Stanislavski was already investigating the same deep question: how to recognize the truth of life.
Led by Modhura Palit (ISC), a cinematographer who made history as the first Indian to receive the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens at the Cannes Film Festival, this session shifts the spotlight to the art of telling stories through light and shadow. Utilizing her vast, internationally acclaimed experience across short films, features, and documentaries, she will guide participants through the core mechanics of cinematic expression, dissecting exactly how a camera lens translates raw human emotions into visual magic on screen.
Bringing together festival directors representing documentary, short film, and animation film festivals from India, this inaugural round table gathers a panel of veteran curators and festival directors, including Anand Varadaraj, Deepak Beshra, Premendra Mazumdar, Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora and Prakash Magdum to explore the evolving landscape of global and regional cinema. Drawing from their collective decades of experience steering major film festivals and networks, these visionaries will discuss how festivals serve as crucial custodians of diverse voices, experimental formats, and festival diversity. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the conversation will focus on the challenges of curation in a fragmented digital age, championing the inclusive programming that unites varied cinematic expressions under a shared artistic vision. Ultimately, the panelists will chart a collaborative roadmap for how international and domestic festivals can continue to foster cultural exchange, elevate marginalized narratives, and inspire the next generation of global storytellers. Speaker: Anand Varadaraj , Deepak Beshra,Premendra Mazumdar , Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora, Prakash Magdum
Renowned Mumbai-based film editor and documentary director Deepa Bhatia, celebrated for shaping the emotional cores of landmark Hindi films like Taare Zameen Par, My Name is Khan, and Rock On!!,tackles the high-stakes evolution of raw footage on the modern editing table. Pulling from her rich commercial and documentary background, which recently earned her a spot in the prestigious BAFTA Breakthrough Cohort 2025, Bhatia will teach participants how to protect their artistic vision while navigating the contemporary pressures of massive footage volumes and shrinking digital timelines.
National Award-winning filmmaker and documentarian Sanjeev Sivan, a member of the legendary 'Sivans' family, explores deep into the responsibility of using cinema as a tool for social change. Drawing from his extensive experience directing over features, 30 short films and 75 socially conscious documentaries for global networks like National Geographic, Discovery, and Al Jazeera, He will guide participants through the delicate process of transforming real-world crises into compelling human-interest narratives while balancing creative integrity with raw, uncompromising truth.
As AI radically reshapes the creative horizons of filmmaking, Anand Pandey , with his deep industry expertise and as the Head of the AI Center of Excellence at the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies to map out the next generation of storytelling. Drawing from his versatile background in successful internationally recognised works, he teaches the merging of technology with creative vision to show attendees exactly how emerging AI tools empower creators to produce high-impact, cinematic experiences on a big scale.
This year, MIFF sessions open by exploring the latest, recent and trending currents shaping world cinema. As short vertical series content explodes across digital platforms, this session examines whether the rise of "micro-drama" is redefining cinematic storytelling or solely reducing the production cost and screen time. Bringing unique perspectives from the front lines of digital innovation and traditional narratives, Saameer Mody, Archana Kavi, and Ujjwal Chopra will dissect the rapid production cycles, monetization strategies, and acting challenges that define this changing phenomenon. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the panel will discuss whether this format is a sustainable evolutionary step for entertainment or a fleeting trend sacrificing depth for clicks. They will also explore what this massive shift means for the future of creators, performers, and the art of storytelling itself.
In this inaugural Workshop session, acclaimed screenwriter Biplab Goswami,whose award-winning script Two Brides was adapted into the Oscar-celebrated feature film Laapataa Ladies, will directly teach us from his personal journey of winning the IIFA and TOIFA 2025 awards for Best Original Story. He will break down the essential anatomy of powerful scene construction to give participants practical, professional insights on creating narrative friction, character, and emotional depth into their own screenplays.
This masterclass explores how Konstantin Stanislavski devoted his life to one essential question: how can we recognize living human truth and distinguish it from imitation? Through his life, his encounter with Anton Chekhov, the birth of the Moscow Art Theatre, and the evolution of his System, the masterclass will show how Stanislavski transformed the way we observe human presence, silence, rhythm, behaviour, inner life and authenticity. The topic will be connected to documentary cinema, short films and animation, because every cinematic form deals with the same essential question: how to reveal what is alive, truthful and human on screen. In a poetic sense, before documentary cinema became a language, Stanislavski was already investigating the same deep question: how to recognize the truth of life.
Led by Modhura Palit (ISC), a cinematographer who made history as the first Indian to receive the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens at the Cannes Film Festival, this session shifts the spotlight to the art of telling stories through light and shadow. Utilizing her vast, internationally acclaimed experience across short films, features, and documentaries, she will guide participants through the core mechanics of cinematic expression, dissecting exactly how a camera lens translates raw human emotions into visual magic on screen.
Bringing together festival directors representing documentary, short film, and animation film festivals from India, this inaugural round table gathers a panel of veteran curators and festival directors, including Anand Varadaraj, Deepak Beshra, Premendra Mazumdar, Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora and Prakash Magdum to explore the evolving landscape of global and regional cinema. Drawing from their collective decades of experience steering major film festivals and networks, these visionaries will discuss how festivals serve as crucial custodians of diverse voices, experimental formats, and festival diversity. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the conversation will focus on the challenges of curation in a fragmented digital age, championing the inclusive programming that unites varied cinematic expressions under a shared artistic vision. Ultimately, the panelists will chart a collaborative roadmap for how international and domestic festivals can continue to foster cultural exchange, elevate marginalized narratives, and inspire the next generation of global storytellers. Speaker: Anand Varadaraj , Deepak Beshra,Premendra Mazumdar , Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora, Prakash Magdum
Renowned Mumbai-based film editor and documentary director Deepa Bhatia, celebrated for shaping the emotional cores of landmark Hindi films like Taare Zameen Par, My Name is Khan, and Rock On!!,tackles the high-stakes evolution of raw footage on the modern editing table. Pulling from her rich commercial and documentary background, which recently earned her a spot in the prestigious BAFTA Breakthrough Cohort 2025, Bhatia will teach participants how to protect their artistic vision while navigating the contemporary pressures of massive footage volumes and shrinking digital timelines.
National Award-winning filmmaker and documentarian Sanjeev Sivan, a member of the legendary 'Sivans' family, explores deep into the responsibility of using cinema as a tool for social change. Drawing from his extensive experience directing over features, 30 short films and 75 socially conscious documentaries for global networks like National Geographic, Discovery, and Al Jazeera, He will guide participants through the delicate process of transforming real-world crises into compelling human-interest narratives while balancing creative integrity with raw, uncompromising truth.
As AI radically reshapes the creative horizons of filmmaking, Anand Pandey , with his deep industry expertise and as the Head of the AI Center of Excellence at the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies to map out the next generation of storytelling. Drawing from his versatile background in successful internationally recognised works, he teaches the merging of technology with creative vision to show attendees exactly how emerging AI tools empower creators to produce high-impact, cinematic experiences on a big scale.
June 16 2026, 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Panel Discussion
Sheena Chohan
This year, MIFF sessions open by exploring the latest, recent and trending currents shaping world cinema. As short vertical series content explodes across digital platforms, this session examines whether the rise of "micro-drama" is redefining cinematic storytelling or solely reducing the production cost and screen time. Bringing unique perspectives from the front lines of digital innovation and traditional narratives, Saameer Mody, Archana Kavi, and Ujjwal Chopra will dissect the rapid production cycles, monetization strategies, and acting challenges that define this changing phenomenon. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the panel will discuss whether this format is a sustainable evolutionary step for entertainment or a fleeting trend sacrificing depth for clicks. They will also explore what this massive shift means for the future of creators, performers, and the art of storytelling itself.
June 16 2026, 04:15 PM - 05:45 PM
In this inaugural Workshop session, acclaimed screenwriter Biplab Goswami,whose award-winning script Two Brides was adapted into the Oscar-celebrated feature film Laapataa Ladies, will directly teach us from his personal journey of winning the IIFA and TOIFA 2025 awards for Best Original Story. He will break down the essential anatomy of powerful scene construction to give participants practical, professional insights on creating narrative friction, character, and emotional depth into their own screenplays.
June 17 2026, 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Masterclass
This masterclass explores how Konstantin Stanislavski devoted his life to one essential question: how can we recognize living human truth and distinguish it from imitation? Through his life, his encounter with Anton Chekhov, the birth of the Moscow Art Theatre, and the evolution of his System, the masterclass will show how Stanislavski transformed the way we observe human presence, silence, rhythm, behaviour, inner life and authenticity. The topic will be connected to documentary cinema, short films and animation, because every cinematic form deals with the same essential question: how to reveal what is alive, truthful and human on screen. In a poetic sense, before documentary cinema became a language, Stanislavski was already investigating the same deep question: how to recognize the truth of life.
June 17 2026, 04:15 PM - 05:45 PM
Led by Modhura Palit (ISC), a cinematographer who made history as the first Indian to receive the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens at the Cannes Film Festival, this session shifts the spotlight to the art of telling stories through light and shadow. Utilizing her vast, internationally acclaimed experience across short films, features, and documentaries, she will guide participants through the core mechanics of cinematic expression, dissecting exactly how a camera lens translates raw human emotions into visual magic on screen.
June 18 2026, 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Round Table
Sheena Chohan
Bringing together festival directors representing documentary, short film, and animation film festivals from India, this inaugural round table gathers a panel of veteran curators and festival directors, including Anand Varadaraj, Deepak Beshra, Premendra Mazumdar, Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora and Prakash Magdum to explore the evolving landscape of global and regional cinema. Drawing from their collective decades of experience steering major film festivals and networks, these visionaries will discuss how festivals serve as crucial custodians of diverse voices, experimental formats, and festival diversity. Guided by moderator Sheena Chohan, the conversation will focus on the challenges of curation in a fragmented digital age, championing the inclusive programming that unites varied cinematic expressions under a shared artistic vision. Ultimately, the panelists will chart a collaborative roadmap for how international and domestic festivals can continue to foster cultural exchange, elevate marginalized narratives, and inspire the next generation of global storytellers. Speaker: Anand Varadaraj , Deepak Beshra,Premendra Mazumdar , Nilotpal Mazumdar, Shaikh Khaja Vali, Patricia Sanchez Mora, Prakash Magdum
Anand Varadaraj
Deepak Kumar
Premendra Mazumdar
Nilotpal Majumder
Shaikh Khaja
Patricia Sánchez Mora
Saameer Mody is the Founder and Managing Director at Pocket Films and Co-Founder at On OTT Now Inc.- Stealth Mode OTT/CTV which is a Startup at BoKoo TV. Pocket Films is India’s leading platform for short-format entertainment — a pioneer in digital short film distribution since 2009. With over 5,000 curated short films and a thriving community of filmmakers, Pocket Films has built one of the largest ecosystems for short films, micro-dramas, and independent content. In addition to their own app available on iOS, Android and web, its multi- platform presence spans YouTube (4M+ subscribers, 1.7B + views), OTT apps, and FAST channels, delivering high-quality storytelling to audiences across India and beyond. As a trusted distribution partner for filmmakers, Pocket Films bridges the gap between creators and global audiences, enabling independent voices to find visibility and monetization opportunities across digital platforms. With a vision to make short-format content mainstream, Pocket Films continues to empower new talent and redefine how stories are told, discovered, and celebrated in the digital era, especially leading the micro-drama evolution. Pocket Films already has over 2,000+ short films and 100+ micro-dramas on its platform with new ones releasing regularly.
Archana Kavi, long before short-form storytelling became a trend, was already pioneering the micro-drama format in India. In 2017, she wrote, produced, and acted in ‘Toofan Mail’, a digital series exploring the tender bond between a single father and his daughter — emotionally rich storytelling delivered in a compact, binge-worthy format. In 2018, she wrote, produced, and starred in Meenaviyil, a relatable tale rooted in sibling relationships, and also appeared in ‘Bae Control', a popular web series by Dice Media, one of India's leading digital content studios. She is also a renowned Indian actress, writer, producer, and television host, best known for her acclaimed debut in the Malayalam film Neelathaamara (2009), followed by notable appearances in Mummy & Me, Salt N' Pepper, Honey Bee, and Aravaan. With a career spanning Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu cinema, she has consistently brought warmth and authenticity to every role. A creator equally at home in front of the camera and behind it, Archana brings emotional precision and genuine storytelling instincts to everything she does — exactly the qualities that define the best of micro-drama today.
Ujjwal Chopra is a seasoned actor who has recently emerged as a prominent face in the fast-growing world of vertical series, headlining popular short-form shows like Chhupa Rustam Baap and Papa Dulhania Le Jayenge (Vaha Flix), Tring Tring (Quick TV), Bewafa Billionaire (Story TV), and Vidushi (Pocket Films). His extensive screen and stage portfolio includes major Hindi films like Padmaavat, Uri: The Surgical Strike, Sam Bahadur, Berlin, and Sehar, alongside Marathi features such as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Asambhav. On premium OTT platforms, he has appeared in acclaimed web series like Heeramandi, Jamtara, Mukhbir, Afsos, Apharan, City of Dreams, and Ashutosh Gowariker's upcoming Temple Raiders. A familiar face across Indian households, Ujjwal has also starred in over 500 TV commercials, performed in around 60 theatre productions from his early days in college, and featured in television shows like Sukh by Chance, Gulaal, Shree, Aek Chaabi Hai Padoss Mein, Alaxmi, and nearly 200 episodes of Crime Patrol.
In this inaugural Workshop session, acclaimed screenwriter Biplab Goswami,whose award-winning script Two Brides was adapted into the Oscar-celebrated feature film Laapataa Ladies, will directly teach us from his personal journey of winning the IIFA and TOIFA 2025 awards for Best Original Story. He will break down the essential anatomy of powerful scene construction to give participants practical, professional insights on creating narrative friction, character, and emotional depth into their own screenplays.
Fabrice Carrey is the Artistic Director of Demain le Printemps, a Franco-Belarusian Soviet Theatre School based on the Stanislavski System, and also Artistic Director of the International Public Association “TEATRO” / MOO TEATRO in Belarus. For more than twenty years, he has been developing cultural and artistic exchange projects between France, Belarus and other international partners, with a particular focus on human presence, stage and screen presence, observation, body language, rhythm, authenticity and the search for living truth. His work is deeply rooted in the Russian/Soviet theatrical tradition and in the legacy of Konstantin Stanislavski.
Anand Varadaraj is the Founder and Artistic Director of Bengaluru International Short Film Festival. The Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) was conceived to create a platform for young and amateur filmmakers where they could screen their shorts to discerning audiences and, more importantly, find constructive and critical feedback from experts in the field. BISFF is the largest and the only OSCAR accredited film festival in INDIA for Live action and Animation Short films.
Deepak Kumar Beshra is an award-winning filmmaker from the Santal tribal community of Odisha, India, known for his work as a writer, director, cinematographer, and editor. He is deeply committed to telling indigenous stories that reflect the culture, identity, and real-life experiences of tribal communities, creating films that connect with people while addressing meaningful social themes. In 2016, Deepak founded the Santali Art and Film Development Foundation (SAFDF) in Baripada with the aim of creating opportunities for indigenous artists and aspiring filmmakers. Through SAFDF, he has been organizing the Baripada National Indigenous Short Film Festival (BISFF) annually since 2017, providing an important platform for indigenous voices in cinema. The foundation also conducts workshops on filmmaking, acting, and scriptwriting, helping nurture young talent at the grassroots level.
Premendra Mazumdar is a film critic, author, and organizer. He writes extensively on cinema. He is the Vice President of the Federation of Film Societies of India, General Secretary of the India Chapter of the International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI, and Editor of the quarterly film journal E-CineIndia. He works for many national and international film festivals in India and abroad as the festival director, chairman, program director, curator, coordinator, advisor, and consultant. He has served the jury so far in forty-five important film festivals worldwide. He has authored five plays, an anthology of short stories, and two collections of essays. He has edited many books and journals on cinema, art, and culture. He has been honoured with Ritwik Ghatak Award (Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 2016), Satyajit Ray Memorial Award (Asian Film Foundation Mumbai, India, 2018), Vijaya Mulay Lifetime Achievement Award (Kerala, India, 2023), Lifetime Achievement Award of Jaffna International Cinema Festival (Sri Lanka, 2026), and the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Lifetime Achievement Award (Jorhat, Assam in 2026) for his contributions to cinema on various capacities.
A postgraduate from Film & Television Institute of India, Nilotpal Majumder has produced, directed, cinematographed and edited both documentary and fiction. He is the founder president of the first Asian documentary incubator-cum-pitching forum and festival DocedgeKolkata. A mentor and academic, Nilotpal has been supported by Sundance, IDFA, NHK and other institutions as producer and director. He served as mentor at DMZ Docs, Docs Port Incheon, Dhaka DocLab, K-Docs Korea, Freedom Film Fellowship Malaysia, Tokyo Docs, and on a jury at ITVS USA, Docaviv, IDFA Amsterdam, Aljazeera IFF, DMZ Docs Fund, MeetMarket Sheffield DocFest, and others. He also was the professor of editing and dean at Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute.
Shaikh Khaja Vali is a policy advisor, event strategist, and AVGC sector evangelist with over a decade of experience in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics. As COO of the Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association (TVAGA), he drives strategic initiatives and industry partnerships. He is also Project Lead for IndiaJoy , India's largest Digital Entertainment Festival, and the VFX Summit, growing them into landmark congregations for 30,000+ creators, studios, and content buyers annually. A passionate community builder, he is a recognised voice in connecting film, technology, and talent across India's creative ecosystem.
Patricia Sánchez Mora is a festival director who has spent nearly two decades shaping the independent film ecosystem. Since 2009, she has served as the director and founder of l'Alternativa PRO, the professional wing of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, where she also launched the Cinema Pendent project development and advisory hub over twelve years ago. Her extensive festival footprint includes serving as an international programmer, jury member, and assessment committee advisor for the Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises (ICEC), alongside founding EXTREMLAB. Through her production company, Novena Nube, she has established herself as a trusted executive producer, line producer, and director, focusing on non-fiction narratives that explore complex social, human, and artistic themes. Her documentary works have achieved widespread international acclaim.
Sheena Chohan is an award winning actress who has played the lead in 10 pan Indian feature films. She was launched in the South opposite Mammootty in the action thriller The Train, directed by seven time National Award Winner Jayaraj, then played the lead in two films directed by Bengali legend Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Sheena played the lead in Ant Story, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki , a film which she was nominated Best Actress for at the Dubai and Shanghai and Kerala International Film Festivals and was bought by Netflix. Sheena's most recent film was the Hindi feature - Sant Tukaram, where she played the lead female role opposite Marathi superstar Subodh Bhave - the film was released in cinemas across India to critical acclaim. Sheena is also the South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights, where she has spread awareness of basic rights and equality to 200 million people, for which she was given the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations. Sheena Chohan is an award winning actress who has played the lead in 10 pan Indian feature films. She was launched in the South opposite Mammootty in the action thriller The Train, directed by seven time National Award Winner Jayaraj, then played the lead in two films directed by Bengali legend Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Sheena played the lead in Ant Story, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki , a film which she was nominated Best Actress for at the Dubai and Shanghai and Kerala International Film Festivals and was bought by Netflix. Sheena's most recent film was the Hindi feature - Sant Tukaram, where she played the lead female role opposite Marathi superstar Subodh Bhave - the film was released in cinemas across India to critical acclaim. Sheena is also the South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights, where she has spread awareness of basic rights and equality to 200 million people, for which she was given the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations.
Sheena Chohan is an award winning actress who has played the lead in 10 pan Indian feature films. She was launched in the South opposite Mammootty in the action thriller The Train, directed by seven time National Award Winner Jayaraj, then played the lead in two films directed by Bengali legend Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Sheena played the lead in Ant Story, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki , a film which she was nominated Best Actress for at the Dubai and Shanghai and Kerala International Film Festivals and was bought by Netflix. Sheena's most recent film was the Hindi feature - Sant Tukaram, where she played the lead female role opposite Marathi superstar Subodh Bhave - the film was released in cinemas across India to critical acclaim. Sheena is also the South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights, where she has spread awareness of basic rights and equality to 200 million people, for which she was given the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations. Sheena Chohan is an award winning actress who has played the lead in 10 pan Indian feature films. She was launched in the South opposite Mammootty in the action thriller The Train, directed by seven time National Award Winner Jayaraj, then played the lead in two films directed by Bengali legend Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Sheena played the lead in Ant Story, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki , a film which she was nominated Best Actress for at the Dubai and Shanghai and Kerala International Film Festivals and was bought by Netflix. Sheena's most recent film was the Hindi feature - Sant Tukaram, where she played the lead female role opposite Marathi superstar Subodh Bhave - the film was released in cinemas across India to critical acclaim. Sheena is also the South Asia Ambassador for United for Human Rights, where she has spread awareness of basic rights and equality to 200 million people, for which she was given the Human Rights Hero Award at the United Nations.
