PLEASE NOTE: THE FESTIVAL WILL NOT ORGANISE AND OR REIMBURSE ANY TRAVEL / ACCOMMODATION FOR FILM MAKERS AND OR THEIR ARTISTS TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL.

Serving as Uttar Pradesh’s Premier Film Festival happening in Ayodhya for last 19 years, the Ayodhya Film Festival (AyoFF) was founded uner the aegis of ‘Awam ka Cinema’ and Eon Films (Mumbai) to showcase the beauty of Ayodhya, Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh to Film Industry across the world. With an aim to exhibit the most captivating and innovative content, the three-day AYOFF 2025 festival is slated to happen between October 08-10, 2026.

Intending to connect the film fans and movies goers from Ayodhya with the world, AyoFF will be a “Free for All” film festival to enjoy films from various countries and will be a vital showcase for indie film makers to showcase their talent to a true audience as well as jurors. This festival encourages filmmakers from all countries to enter the Film Competition where we will be screening new Indian and International feature-length films, high-quality short films, documentaries, music videos, and web series as well as conduct talks with industry special guests.

Although the festival prefers to screen newer films, all submissions will be considered. The festival will consider any film in any genre. From the entertaining to the educational, inspirational to thought-provoking, comedic to ironic, AYOFF is the place to showcase your films to the widest possible live audience.

So if you’re a feature film filmmaker or a filmmaker that creates innovative short films - whether they’re drama, comedy, animated, documentary (e.g. observational, travel, humanitarian, environmental), or experimental - you're welcome to enter. And yes, we prefer films in any languages. However, films other than English and Hindi should have English subtitles.

Awards & Prizes

LAURELS, DIGITAL CERTIFICATES & TROPHIES FOR WINNERS
RUNNER-UP GETS ONLY LAURELS & DIGITAL CERTIFICATES. HOWEVER THEY CAN PURCHASE THE TROPHY IF THEY WISH TO..
All selected films get the original laurel. Nominees & Finalists get special laurel.

BEST FEATURE FILM (FICTION)
BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
BEST SHORT FILM (FICTION)
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
BEST ANIMATION FILM
BEST CHILDREN FILM (FEATURE / SHORT)
BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES (FEATURE)
BEST ENVIRONMENTAL FILM (SHORT)
BEST WEB SERIES
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR
BEST STORY
BEST EDITOR
SPECIAL JURY MENTION CERTIFICATE
CRITICS CHOICE

Rules & Terms

Here are the broad outlines of our Rules & Regulations. Every applicant is bound by the rules and if these rules are not respected, we can reject your film out rightly without assigning any reason for the same.

1) Duration:
a) Short films: maximum 30 minutes.
b) Feature films: 70 minutes and more.
c) Documentary films (Feature): 41 minutes and more
d) Documentary films (Short): maximum 40 minutes
e) Music Videos: maximum 20 minutes
f) Web Series: maximum 30 minutes
g) Mobile Film: maximum 20 minutes

2) One film can be entered in multiple categories. It is necessary to pay the entry fee for each category.

3) All Non-English films must be subtitled in English.

4) We will download your movie for our jury and to show in live screening at our event if your film is selected for screening. We don't share your movie. If you do not want your movie to be showed you can send us an email. Only our judges will see your movie for rating for awards.

5) The “Best Film” in Feature / Short / Documentary category will receive a special plaque.

a) The winners get the trophy only if they attend the event. However, all the winners will receive the Digital certificates duly signed by email.

b) The winner (to get the prize) must contact us within 15 days after the notification in case of not being able to attend the event. However, the winner has to pay the courier/ postal charges (which will be intimated accordingly) for sending the trophy to his/her address.

6) All the winners will receive our official Digital certificates duly signed.

7) Entry fees are non-refundable.

8) We prefer movie with trailer (so we can share it with the poster on our web page).

9) The decision of jury members will be final and accepted by all no inquiries or arguments will be entertained. The organizers reserve the right not to award any or all of the prizes.

10) The applicant agrees to:
a) Have read and accepted the rules & regulations for participation in the Festival.
b) Confirms that he/she has the requisite authority or has obtained the requisite authority from the producer/right holder to enter this film in the Festival. Furthermore applicant declares to possess all rights to screen your movie.
c) Under NO circumstance, the authorities of Ayodhya Film Festival entertain or be answerable to anyone else apart from the applicant.

11) Submitting the movie the applicant accepts we can share trailer, pictures and posters of the movie with our social page, website, and other media. If the applicant doesn't want, have to send us an email to the same.

12) Most importantly, we do not grant waivers.

13) We will notify the applicants only if the movie is selected and share the official selection as well as winner's list on our website. We also send a notification only to the winners via email as well as through our film platforms.

14) We can withdraw at any time the selection or the award if these rules are not respected.

15) We don't entertain any queries or are answerable about the selection. Our judges are free to decide if a movie is worthy to be selected or not.
74 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ivan Lopatin

    We paid for the prize and haven't heard from the festival ever since. They don't know where the parcel is, then they just stop responding at all. It's been months.

    December 2025
    Helpful
  • VADUDEO RANE

    Thanks for the award . Regards from your team

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Vinay Agrahari

    As it was my very first opportunity to present my story on a bigger platform and for that I am truly honored and present my heartful thanks to the festival team. It was a great experience being there and meeting with the fellow filmmakers. Thank You Ayodhya Film Festival.

    August 2025
    Helpful
  • Angel Soto

    We would like to sincerely thank the Ayodhya Film Festival in India for selecting our film Tierras Calientes. It is a true honor to have received the Best Feature Film Award, and I am deeply grateful to the jury for also recognizing my work with the Best Director Award.

    The festival was an absolute success, and I wholeheartedly congratulate the entire team behind it for such an outstanding job. These recognitions inspire us to continue creating quality cinema and to reach such a vast and important market as India.

    With gratitude and respect,

    Ángel Soto
    Producer/Director
    Tierras Calientes

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Dear Angel,

    We are truly honored by your kind words and deeply moved by your heartfelt message. It was a privilege to include Tierras Calientes in this year's festival lineup, and we are delighted that the film was so well received by our jury and audience alike.

    Congratulations once again on winning Best Feature Film, and on your well-deserved recognition as Best Story Writer. Your film’s powerful storytelling and artistic vision left a lasting impression on us all, and we are proud to have showcased such an exceptional work.

    Thank you for trusting us with your creation. It brings us great joy to know that this recognition inspires you and your team to continue making meaningful cinema. We look forward to seeing more of your brilliant work and hope our paths cross again in the future—perhaps even in person.

  • Atish Kumar Rout

    Fantastic arrangements. Good opportunity to meet other industry members.

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We’re truly glad to hear you enjoyed the festival experience and found the arrangements to be fantastic. It’s especially rewarding to know that the event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow members of the film industry—fostering such creative exchange is a core part of our mission.

    It was a pleasure to have your work featured at the Ayodhya Film Festival. We’re honored by your participation and look forward to seeing more of your inspiring work in the future.