The upcoming edition marks the 12th year of the Smita Patil International Film Festival (SPIFF), founded in 2012 by Arogya Sena to honor the legacy of the legendary actress Smita Patil. Known for her courageous and trailblazing work in Indian cinema, Smita Patil stood as an alternative voice to mainstream films, quickly becoming an icon of bold and audacious storytelling. Though her life was tragically cut short at the age of 31, her profound contributions to cinema continue to resonate across generations.

At SPIFF, we are dedicated to celebrating original voices in both Indian and global cinema, showcasing films that are daring, innovative, and push the boundaries of conventional storytelling. Over the past decade, SPIFF has established itself as one of India’s premier short film festivals, renowned for its carefully curated programming and its vibrant, close-knit community of cinephiles.

The festival is a two-day event held in Pune, featuring enthusiastic audiences, local critics, and exclusive dinner parties for visiting filmmakers. Our programming team is composed of filmmakers and cinephiles who are deeply passionate about cinema, ensuring that SPIFF remains a true celebration of the art form.

Past Juries of SPIFF

• Umesh Kulkarni - Multiple National Awards, Berlinale 2009
• Devashish Makhija - Director of Bhosale, Joram and Ajji.
• Juliette Grandmont - Producer of I am not your Witch(Cannes)
• Anand Patwardhan - Multiple National Awards, Winner at IDFA, Yamagata, MIFF
• Kranti Kanade - Multiple National Award Winner
• Tushar Paranjpe - Berlinale Crystal Bear Winner
• Sumitra Bhave - Legendary Marathi Filmmaker, Multiple National Award Winner
• Gaganvihari Borate - National Award Winner
• Roma Kong - LA-based Producer, SXSW Jury Award
• Bijon Imtiaz - LA-based Producer, UCLA Alumni
• Ashok Rane - Eminent Critic

SPIFF remains committed to honoring the spirit of Smita Patil by spotlighting films that embody the courage, creativity, and conviction that she brought to her work.

Awards & Prizes

Cash Awards Will be Awarded in the Following Categories.

Best Short Fiction Film
Best Short International Film
Best Director
Best Female Filmmaker (Smita Patil Award of Recognition)
Jury Special Mention

Rules & Terms

The 12th Smita International Film Festival will be held in December 2025 in Pune at the prestigious National Film Archive of India.

PLEASE READ ALL THE RULES & TERMS CAREFULLY.

DURATION: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Animation films below 40 mins.

ELIGIBILITY:
1> Films that are not online on any streaming platform or youtube.
2> Web series, music videos, corporate films, and VR are not accepted.

FORMAT: A documentary or Short Film could be shot on any camera, but English subtitles are compulsory for languages other than English.

SUBMISSION: Films are to be submitted online only, no physical submission will be accepted.

SELECTION PROCESS: Submission to the festival doesn’t guarantee the screening. All the Films submitted to SPIFF will be confidentially viewed by a programming team appointed by Arogya Sena. Films to be screened in the final selection of the film festival will be exclusively judged on the artistic merit of the film without regard to the cost of production or the subject. As SPIFF receives submissions from across the globe, the final selection is becoming incredibly competitive. The programming team reserves the right to reject any film that doesn’t fit the artistic excellence that SPIFF seeks. There wouldn’t be any refund if the film is rejected. It’s not possible for us to provide any feedback.

Only a RIGHT HOLDER of the film is allowed to submit the film.

FINAL SCREENING: Only films shortlisted by the programming team will be eligible for final screenings and awards.

FILM MATERIALS: After the selection is confirmed, we will notify the applicant and provide the deadline to send us all the materials regarding the film(Screening Copy, Trailers, Posters, etc). If this deadline is not obeyed, we won't be able to guarantee your screening. The selected film should have English subtitles.

COVID-19 and FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING.
We are committed to making Festival screenings COVID-19 safe. We adhere to the policies of the medical authorities regarding COVID-19 protocols. SPIFF will comply with the Maharashtra and Central Indian governments' COVID guidelines.

PUBLICATION AUTHORIZATION: All filmmakers/ Right Holders, grant the festival a non-exclusive limited use agreement to use selected portions of submitted films to use the following:

The Film’s title, the Film’s synopsis, photographs, trailers, and other Publicity Deliverables, and any of the principal cast members, director(s)’s, writer(s)’s, producer(s)’s, crew members’ names, voice, biographical information, and/or likeness, in the following media: SPIFF’s website, Social Media (including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, youtube), the printed festival film guide, the festival mobile app, radio, television and press releases throughout the universe, in perpetuity, without compensation, permission, or notification, solely for the purpose of advertising, publicizing, and promoting the Film Festival and / or the Film’s screening for which the entrants are solely responsible.

Filmmakers fully retain all rights, titles, and interests in their films and all Intellectual Property. Also, the organizers will be able to share the information with their publicity partners.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AWARDS: Entrants must agree to acknowledge the award on the film itself if it wins the award.

CANCELLATION/REJECTION: The core committee of Smita International Film Festival reserves the right to take action against any breach of regulations or any misbehavior disturbing the course of the festival and reserves all the rights to refuse or reject any registration/entry of any submission(s) or persons or institutions. Submission will only be considered valid after receiving all the required documents and the final screening copy of the film(s). After notification of selection, the film may not be withdrawn from the festival under any circumstance. Results declared by the programming team and juries will be treated as final and all the participants will abide by them.

SPIFF WILL NOT HAVE ANY BINDINGS TO GIVE ANY CLARIFICATION OR JUSTIFICATION REGARDING THE RESULTS TO ANYONE.

FEEDBACK: SPIFF team is not able to provide feedback on the rejected films.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The core committee of the Smita Patil International Film Festival appointed by Arogya Sena reserves the right to change the rules and regulations or the competition's schedule.

By submitting your film to the festival, you accept the terms and conditions mentioned.
19 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Aroop Dwivedi

    Brilliant festival and a wonderful curation of films, Historical venue and great hospitality but the best was the involvement of the audience, cause as a film maker nothing feels as bad as a indifferent and uninvolved audience Kudos to the organizers !!.

    January 2025
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  • Jaiphal Nirmeet

    It's one of the qualitative festivals. Their motto is to screen quality work rather than quantity, which is very important to me as a filmmaker. We screened our documentary WOMAN ON FIRE in this festival. It was an amazing experience to showcase our work with very talented filmmakers from across the country and all over the world. The selection of the film is also very interesting. We also get an opportunity to talk with fellow filmmakers. As the years pass, the festival has grown very fast, and they have upscaled their quality. We are really glad that we are showcasing our documentary in this precious festival. Congratulations, and I wish you good luck for the next festival.

    January 2025
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  • Kallol Mukherjee

    I was privileged to screen my film Mic Drop at SPIFF this year. The festival is one of the important film festivals in the country and supports independent voices and voices of resistance. In a time when criticising the ones in power is becoming difficult, the festival provides a platform for films taking the difficult path. I wish SPIFF all the best for future additions.

    January 2025
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  • Tathagata Ghosh

    An incredible festival that truly supports cinema and filmmakers. It was a great honor to screen our film "If" this year. Winning the Best Film Award was so special. The festival had a great curation of films and a great venue to showcase them. I love SPIFF and I can't wait to be back again. Thank you for everything!

    January 2025
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  • Nishi Dugar

    I had the privilege of having Anaar Daana(Sour Candy) at the SPIFF this year. SPIFF truly stands out as one of the best festivals in India. From the seamless organisation and impeccable management to the carefully curated lineup! Special thanks to Yogesh, Aneesh and Aatish for the warmth. I had the privilege of connecting with so many like-minded filmmakers. What truly sets this festival apart is its unwavering integrity and the grace with which it conducts itself. A special note of appreciation for the iconic venue of the festival- The National Film Archives of India. The theatres were PACKED- and that is the most important thing for a filmmaker that it gets an audience. I was also surprised that all sort of age groups make it to the festival! It was wonderful to see how Punekars love films across mediums!

    Thank you again for such a beautiful experience. I look forward to future editions and all the incredible films and filmmakers you continue to support.

    January 2025
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