16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-26, New Delhi, India

Celebrating Excellence in Cinema


The Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival is a not-to-profit, non-commercial & India’s only independent film festival, established in the year 2011 in Delhi NCR with a mission to celebrate the cinema & work of aspiring, young, independent & professional filmmakers. The festival is important for Indian film industry as it is organized on 30 April each year to mark the birth anniversary of Late.Shri. Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, who is regarded as the father of Indian Cinema & fondly remembered as Dada Saheb Phalke by the film fraternity across the India & globe. Its aim is to recognize the enlightening, entertaining & progressive new age cinema of youth & experienced filmmakers.

In past years festival gains reputation & regarded as among most prestigious festival in India. The festival grows over the years & attracts filmmakers from across the India & 110+ nations across the world. The festival has sections for feature films, short films, documentaries, animations, music videos & ad films. The festival awards the filmmakers in production, creative, music & performance categories.

16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-2026 aims to celebrate the excellence in cinema. Dada Saheb Phalke started the movement of cinema in India in real sense & he is the symbol of excellence. His contribution to Indian cinema is unparalleled. Today Indian cinema is touching the sky in terms of both content & technology but it is worth mentioning that it was started by legendry Dada Saheb Phalke and we are just carrying it forward.

Founded by the Educationexpo TV, a leading entertainment research & branding company and managed by Miniboxoffice, Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-26 provides chance to filmmakers to showcase their creativity. While the festival is open to filmmakers of all age, we feel that just as it is imperative that we should support and encourage participation by filmmaking community members & professional, it is also important that we find and cultivate the future members of the entertainment industry.

Awards & Prizes

16th DSPFF-26

Section 1: Production Award

Best Feature Film

Best Short Film

Best Animation

Best Documentary

Best Music Video

Best Ad Film

Best Film-Jury

Best Director

Best Debut Director (For Feature Films Only)

Special Festival Mention

Special Jury Mention

Best Web Series

Section 2: Creative Awards

Best Cinematography

Best Editing

Best Screenplay

Best VFX

Section 3: Music Awards

Best Original Music

Best Background Music

Section 4: Performance Awards

Best Actor

Best Actress

Rules & Terms

Rules and Regulations:

16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-2026

1. Awards for both professional and students category-

Section 1: Production Awards

❏ Best Feature Film ❏ Best Short Film
❏ Best Animation ❏ Best Feature Animation
❏Best Feature Documentary ❏ Best Short Documentary
❏ Best Ad Film ❏ Best Film-Jury
❏ Best Director ❏ Best Debut Director (Feature Only)
❏ Honorable Jury Mention ❏ Special Festival Mention
❏ Best Music Video ❏ Best Web Series

Section 2: Creative Awards

❏ Best Cinematography ❏ Best Editing ❏Best Screenplay ❏ Best VFX

Section 3: Music Awards

❏ Best Original Music ❏ Best Background Music

Section 4: Performance Awards

❏ Best Actor ❏ Best Actress

2. Every official selected film in DSPFF will enjoy following benefits-

Promotion & Marketing:

Listing on fest website in official selection section.
Lifetime dedicated film page on fest website in catalogue.
Film team video interviews will be published in Filmmaker’s Cut and promoted on social media.
Film Pitch video will be published in Film Market and promoted among industry professionals.
Film article in News & blog on festival website.

Film Market & Distribution:

Miniboxoffice Film Market subscription for 03 months.
Film Distribution, Sales, Pitching & networking opportunities.
Personal page, project listing & future opportunities.

Recognition & Awards:

Every submitted film will get certificate of participation.
Every officially selected film will get Certificate of Excellence- Official Selection certificate.
Every Award Winner will get Certificate of Excellence- Award Certificate & Trophy.
Every festival attendee will get festival mementos.

Feedback & Criticism:

Festival provide a unique opportunity for every filmmaker to get Jury score sheet in order to understand ‘how the movie performed in festival’ and for scope of improvement.
Audience interaction after film screening.

Learning & Exchange

Master Classes on various current topics & trends.
Culture & business exchange with fellow filmmakers.

3. Films must be subtitled in English if language is other than English and Hindi.

4. Films that participated in Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-2011 to 25 are not eligible for participation in 2026.

4. Year of production & accepted movie duration:

Year of production: Jan-2024 onwards

Feature Films, Feature Documentaries, Feature Animation: 61 minute to 180 minute (more than 60 min).

Short Films, Short Documentaries, Short Animation: up-to 60 min (equal or less than 60 min)

Music Video, Ad films: up- to 6-7 min

Web Series: Any Length

5. Result of the festival will be declared on 30 April 2026.

6. The decision of the Jury will be final and can’t be challenged.

7. Once the film is submitted can’t be withdrawn in any circumstances, however festival director reserve the rights to disqualify any film on certain grounds.

8. 16th DSPFF-26 stages/process:

• Entry submission as per rules & regulations.
• Notification of shortlisted regular entries by the festival office on 10 April 26 and late entries list shall be out on 16 April 2026.
• Delegate registration to attend 16th DSPFF-26. Hospitality charges are applicable for filmmakers & attendees, which include lunch, tea/coffee with cookies & master classes.
• Festival movies screening & workshops followed by award ceremony on 30 April 2026.

9. 16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-26 does not take any type of financial commitment for the expense incurred on the correspondence by the participant. All Travel, Lodging & Boarding and other miscellaneous expenses will have to be borne by the participant himself for attending the festival. No request for the same will be entertained. The certificates/trophy/award delivery charges are applicable to those who will be unable to attend the festival which may have to be paid by filmmakers.

10. By submitting movie to 16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-2026, filmmaker/producer takes the whole responsibility of copyright issues of music, script and other creative and technical aspects of film.