Welcome to FirstCut, one of India’s premier international student film festivals, organized by FLAME University, Pune.
FirstCut provides a dynamic platform for young filmmakers across the globe, encouraging them to explore film as a medium of growth and change. In 2024, FirstCut Take 10 received 565+ submissions from students representing 55+ countries.

At the final event, shortlisted films will be screened for a live audience and evaluated by a distinguished jury from the Indian film industry. The screenings will be followed by engaging panel discussions and talks with renowned film personalities.

We believe creative freedom is essential, which is why participants have complete freedom in choosing their themes and styles. In addition to categories in fiction, animation, and non-fiction, FirstCut offers the unique "Nano" film category, challenging students to create super short films.

Winners in each category will receive a certificate and a cash prize of INR 25,000.
Transaction charges will apply to international winners.

Please Note:
• Submissions to FirstCut are FREE of charge.
• Attending the event is FREE and open to all.

Eligibility:
1. Students can submit multiple films across various categories.
2. Submission of a VALID STUDENT ID IS MANDATORY at the time of film submission.
3. Category Time Limits:
• Fiction: 20 minutes
• Non-Fiction: 40 minutes
• Animation: 10 minutes
• Nano: 2 minutes
4. Directors, cinematographers, editors, scriptwriters, and sound designers must be current undergraduate or master’s students or recent graduates (within the past year). Actors and other crew members do not need to be students. There’s no limit on the number of students from the same institution.

Production Guidelines:
• Films must be original, including all content like music, visuals, and scripts. Copyrighted material is not accepted.
• Projection-quality picture and sound are preferred.
• All films, including those in English, MUST have English subtitles.
• The film’s content must adhere to legal standards (no obscenity, defamation, copyright infringement, or incitement of communal disharmony). The jury will make final decisions on content.
• Completion Dates:
Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Nano films must be completed on or after January 30, 2023.
Animation films must be completed on or after January 30, 2022.

Submission Guidelines:
• Submit via FirstCut’s Festhome, FilmFest or FilmFreeway page. Submit on 1 platform only.
• Indian participants may use the Google form on the FirstCut website.
• Films must be submitted as downloadable links via Google Drive, Vimeo, or Hidden YouTube.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jonyl Tan

    Thank you FLAME FirstCut 2024 for selecting M.U.R.B.Y as one of the Semi-Finalists in your competition. We received consistent updates from the festival about the judging status of our film and are very honoured to have our film highly considered during the judging process of this festival~ 🤗🌟

    March 2024
  • Thanks so much for selected our documentary Echoes From The Blue Meadow. Was great honor be part of the competition finalist short films.

    March 2024
  • Pedro Lopes

    amazing festival thank you for the selection

    March 2024
  • Sankha Ranaweera

    Thank you selected my film & enjoy this festival.

    March 2024
  • Jacob Ramsay

    Thank you festival selectors and jury for awarding our film, AN EXTRA DAY IN PRAGUE, with the Best Film award in the fiction category! It is truly an honor. Wish I could have attended in person, but I was following along on social media and it seemed like a festival with an exceptional amount of spirit!

    March 2023