Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
Entries are now open for the Short Film Awards to celebrate originality, creativity, and storytelling skills among young Indian filmmakers.
The award is open to short fiction, non-fiction, animation, or mixed-genre films, aiming to provide a platform for independent filmmakers. Two winners will be selected by an independent jury, each receiving a cash prize of ₹60,000. The award is designed to be non-commercial and non-institutional, focusing solely on individual creativity.
Eligible applicants must be Indian citizens between 18 and 29 years of age, with dates of birth falling between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 2008. They must currently live in India, and Overseas Citizens of India are not eligible. The application must be made by individuals, and films with more than one director are not accepted. Institutions or production houses may submit entries, but only on behalf of individual directors. Previous winners in this category cannot reapply.
Applicants may submit one to three short films in any Indian language, provided they include English subtitles. Films must be completed after 1 September 2024, with each running no longer than 30 minutes. Submissions may include fiction, non-fiction or documentary, animation, or mixed-genre and experimental films. Only .MP4 or .MOV file formats are accepted. The films must not have been submitted to the TFA Awards in previous years, and the award will be given exclusively to the director of the work.
Each submission must include the film title, a description of up to 500 words explaining the title and its relation to the work, and a viewing link with access valid until early 2026. Filmmakers retain full copyright ownership of their submitted works and may choose to include their name or watermark. Shortlisted applicants may be contacted for additional details, and the jury’s decision is final. Winning films may be featured on the TFA website, blog, and promotional materials, with proper credit given to the filmmakers. Winners must also ensure that any screenings or exhibitions of the awarded film credit “Winner – TOTO Awards for Short Film 2026” for two years following the announcement. The deadline for applications is 30 September 2025.
For more information, visit TFA.