AniMela Festival

The AniMela Festival will take place from 19th - 22nd February, 2026 in Whistling Woods International, Film City Complex, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Submissions are open until 01.12.2025 at 11:59pm (IST)

1) Animated films completed after January 1, 2024, are eligible.

2) Films must not be available online or on streaming platforms on or before the festival dates. If your film has been screened online as part of a film festival, it remains eligible.

3) Films must only be submitted online through the festival's official submission platform, FilmFreeway.

4) Submissions must be animated works, and can include short films, feature films, and experimental animations. “Animated works” are defined as films that contain a substantial amount of animation of any technique. Combinations of animation and live-action may be eligible if the larger part of the film is animated. The Festival reserves the right to determine whether films qualify as animation.

5) Submissions must follow the festival’s runtime guidelines: short films should be under 40 minutes, and feature films should be 40 minutes or longer.

6) The festival does not pay screening fees to filmmakers or cover delivery costs for any films selected for screening at the festival.

7) Filmmakers must submit an online screener of their film either by uploading it directly to FilmFreeway or by providing a password-protected Vimeo link or an unlisted YouTube link entered into the FilmFreeway application form.

8) Filmmakers may submit more than one entry. Each entry must be accompanied by a separate entry form and entry fee.

9) Filmmakers must provide all necessary documentation and information required for submission, including credits and contact details.

10) Films may be in any language as long as they include embedded English subtitles or closed captions.

11) Eligibility for Student Films:
To qualify for the Student Film category, entrants must provide proof of current student status. Filmmakers who have graduated within the last academic year, and made their film while they were still students may also submit under this section.

12) The decision of the selection committee is final and not subject to appeal. Due to the high volume of submissions, individual feedback cannot be provided.

13) Once a film is selected and the filmmaker has been notified, it cannot be withdrawn from the festival. Filmmakers are responsible for delivering the screening copy by the specified deadline, either online (preferred) or via courier. If you intend to send the master copy by courier, please inform the festival in advance, as failure to do so may result in the selection being revoked.

14) If selected, filmmakers are responsible for delivering their exhibition copy (QuickTime ProRes, 4K, or 1920x1080 48Hz), press stills, and press kit on time. Please note AniMela does not accept encrypted DCPs for short films.

15) We may use extracts from selected films for festival publicity and marketing purposes. While press kits are not required at the time of submission, they will be requested if your film is accepted into the festival.

16) The Festival Director reserves the right to include any film at their discretion.

17) The festival shall not be liable for any loss of or damage to audiovisual or other materials submitted by applicants.

18) Submitted films should not contain any content that violates or infringes copyright.

19) By submitting a film, the applicant confirms that they are the rightful owner of the film or have the necessary rights and authority to submit it for selection. The applicant also agrees to indemnify AniMela against any legal claims or disputes that may arise from the submitted film.

20) An Indian censor board certificate is not required at the time of submission. However, the festival will submit all selected films to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, for clearance. Films will be screened only after receipt of censor exemption.

21) Films that were previously submitted but not selected in past editions are not eligible for AniMela 2026 or any future editions of the festival.

Questions? We’re more than happy to help out in case you have any outstanding queries. Please contact us at programme@animela.in