Welcome to the inaugural Zen-O Short Film Festival, proudly presented by Cinegarh Studios—the powerhouse driving bold independent narratives, short films, and breakout web series.

Our mission is singular: to discover, amplify, and reward the next wave of visionary independent filmmakers. We are actively hunting for gripping stories (between 5 to 40 minutes), razor-sharp execution, and fresh cinematic voices that deserve a massive digital spotlight.

Why submit to Zen-O?
Unlike traditional festivals where your film is hidden behind private screening links for a handful of judges, the Zen-O Short Film Festival connects your art directly with an active, hungry audience. Every "Official Selection" will receive premium digital curation, custom festival laurels, and a global digital premiere broadcast natively on the Cinegarh Originals channel—introducing your narrative voice to a dedicated audience of independent cinema enthusiasts.

With a direct ₹1,00,000 cash prize pool distributed across 8 major cinematic disciplines, we don't just celebrate filmmaking—we fund your momentum. Best of all, our flagship Grand Prize includes an official, non-binding invitation to fast-track future project pitches directly to the executive development team at Cinegarh Studios and our upcoming digital initiatives. We don't lock you into restrictive contracts; we open doors for creative collaboration.

Whether you have directed a nail-biting cyber-thriller, a laugh-out-loud situational comedy, an intense heist drama, or a moving human portrait—Zen-O is your launchpad.

Submit your project today, lock in your digital premiere, and let your voice be heard.

Awards & Prizes

The Zen-O Short Film Festival is proud to present a total cash prize pool of ₹1,00,000 alongside industry-recognized laurels and physical studio trophies to empower independent creators across all disciplines:

🏆 BEST SHORT FILM (Grand Prize) | Cash Prize: ₹25,000
Awarded to the definitive best picture of the festival. The winner receives a cash grant, the custom Zen-O Trophy, and an exclusive, non-binding invitation to fast-track future project pitches directly to the Cinegarh Studios executive development team.

🔥 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD | Cash Prize: ₹25,000
The ultimate crowd-sourced prize. Every "Official Selection" film will be premiered publicly on the Cinegarh Originals channel. The film that generates the highest combination of audience views, watch time, and authentic comment velocity within its designated 14-day tracking window wins this prize.

🎬 BEST DIRECTOR | Cash Prize: ₹10,000
Honoring the director who demonstrates exceptional visual command, distinct world-building, precise pacing, and superior performance optimization.

✍️ BEST SCREENPLAY | Cash Prize: ₹10,000
Celebrating structural ingenuity, dialogue authenticity, pacing rhythm, and character depth. We want to reward the writers who anchor cinema with undeniable scripts.

📸 BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (DOP) | Cash Prize: ₹7,500
Recognizing outstanding visual layout, deliberate framing, intentional lighting structures, and atmospheric aesthetic consistency.

✂️ BEST EDITING & SOUND DESIGN | Cash Prize: ₹7,500
Awarded for flawless post-production execution, structural pacing rhythm, soundscape immersion, and dialogue clarity.

🎭 BEST ACTOR | Cash Prize: ₹7,500
Honoring emotional resonance, character embodiment, delivery authenticity, and undeniable screen presence in a leading or supporting role.

🎵 BEST BACKGROUND SCORE | Cash Prize: ₹7,500
Celebrating original musical composition, thematic enhancement, mood building, and emotional pacing tied to the narrative.

Rules & Terms

1. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION RULES
1.1. Runtimes and Completion: Short films submitted to the festival must have a total runtime (including credits) of a minimum of 5 minutes and a maximum of 40 minutes. There are no restrictions on the completion date of the project.
1.2. Language and Subtitles: Films may be in Hindi, English, or any regional language. However, ALL submissions—including English language films—MUST be accompanied by an external English subtitle file in standard .SRT format. Hardcoded (burned-in) subtitles are strictly prohibited to ensure clean video playback and native closed captioning integration on digital platforms.
1.3. Premiere Status: The festival does not require theatrical premiere status. Films that have been screened at other physical or private festivals are fully eligible. However, for entry into the Audience Choice Award category, the filmmaker must comply with the broadcast windows outlined in Section 2.
1.4. Submission Limits: Filmmakers may submit multiple entries, provided each project is submitted separately and satisfies individual entry fees based on the submission date.

2. DIGITAL SCREENING RIGHTS & THE YOUTUBE BROADCAST AGREEMENT
2.1. Non-Exclusive Exhibition License: By submitting a project, the filmmaker grants Zen-O and Cinegarh Studios (collectively referred to as "The Organizers") a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free digital license to host, stream, and exhibit the film publicly on the "Cinegarh Originals" YouTube channel.
2.2. The Official Curation Window: If a film is designated as an "Official Selection," it will be assigned a scheduled broadcast release date on the channel. To preserve eligibility for the ₹25,000 Audience Choice Award, the film must remain published and publicly accessible on the Cinegarh Originals channel for a minimum primary window of 1 (one) year starting from the live premiere date.
2.3. Monetization Consent: The filmmaker acknowledges that the broadcast channel may feature standard digital programmatic advertisements. All revenues generated through channel monetization during the festival broadcast window are retained entirely by The Organizers to cover technical overheads, digital ad spend, administration fees, and prize pool disbursement. Individual submissions do not qualify for backend financial or royalty cuts.

3. THE "YOUTUBE SHIELD" - ABSOLUTE COPYRIGHT INDEMNIFICATION
3.1. Originality and Clearances: The submitting party (filmmaker/producer) guarantees that they are the sole lawful author and rightsholder of the submitted project, or possess fully executed legal synchronization, performance, and underlying rights assignments. This explicitly encompasses all background scores, commercial or royalty-free music tracks, sound effects, script/literary content, and visual actor releases.
3.2. Copyright Claim Indemnity: Under no circumstances shall The Organizers be held liable for copyright infringement claims occurring on YouTube or associated streaming infrastructure. The filmmaker agrees to fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Zen-O, Cinegarh Studios, Cinegarh Originals, and their respective networks against any automated Content ID claims, copyright strikes, takedown demands, or secondary financial/legal disputes arising from the publication of the film.
3.3. Strike Remediation: If a published film triggers a YouTube Content ID dispute or copyright notice due to un-cleared assets, The Organizers reserve the absolute right to instantly set the video to private or delete the asset without prior notification to the filmmaker, and the film will be instantly disqualified from all award categories.

4. THE CREATIVE COLLABORATION FAST-TRACK (NON-BINDING PARTNERSHIP)
4.1. Open Door Pitching Invitation: In addition to receiving the "Best Short Film" (Grand Prize) cash reward of ₹25,000, the winning filmmaker receives an official, non-binding invitation to fast-track future project pitches directly to the executive development team at Cinegarh Studios and Zen-O.
4.2. Freedom of Choice: This collaboration framework is entirely optional and places zero legal restrictions, exclusivity demands, or tie-ins on the filmmaker's future intellectual property. The filmmaker retains 100% ownership and absolute freedom to pitch, sell, or distribute their future work to any third-party networks, platforms, or studios globally without requiring consent or giving a right of refusal to The Organizers.
4.3. Creative Network Onboarding: All winners and official selections will be invited into an exclusive, private network directory maintained by Cinegarh Studios for potential freelance, crew-onboarding, or co-production opportunities. This network is built entirely on mutual interest, with zero binding clauses or mandatory commitments for either party.