Marking its 24th anniversary, IFFLA 2026 will take place April 23-26 in Los Angeles.

IFFLA brings to Los Angeles audiences the most innovative films coming out of South Asia and its diasporas, in a vibrant program comprising features and shorts, including narrative, documentary and animated works.

IFFLA was founded in 2002 as a non-profit organization with the aim to offer the Los Angeles community a unique opportunity to learn about India’s multifaceted culture and long history of filmmaking. Since then, IFFLA has grown into the premier US venue for discovering the best of South Asian cinema. Taking place in the center of the US entertainment industry, IFFLA prides itself at being the vital hub for an important dialogue among the most original storytellers from South Asia and its diasporas, and the international film industry at large.

In addition to film screenings, galas and networking events, the festival offers stimulating discussions between filmmakers and audiences, as well as panel conversations and industry sessions. The four-day event also hosts special programs, such as retrospectives, spotlights and masterclasses, social gatherings and lively industry-facing events, all aimed at fostering a greater appreciation of South Asian cinema and culture and promoting the diverse perspectives of the South Asian diaspora.

IFFLA INDUSTRY DAYS AND LAUNCHPAD: PITCH COMPETITION
In 2024 IFFLA inaugurated IFFLA Industry Day, a first-of-its-kind forum designed to bring together established executives from the Hollywood industry and South Asian filmmakers to exchange inspiring stories and ideas, gain mentorship, and build collaborations. Participating companies and organizations at IFFLA’s inaugural event included Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, SagIndie, Netflix, Roadside Attractions, Sundance Institute, Film Independent, Macro, The Salon, ColorCreative, CAPE and more. In 2025, IFFLA Industry Days expanded into a two-day event that was further integrated with the festival and included masterclasses, panels, roundtable discussions, and a plethora of exciting educational and networking events. IFFLA 2026 Industry Days will take place concurrently with the festival. An important initiative of this exciting industry program is Launch Pad: A Pitch Competition, an event that attracts a highly curated pool of feature film and television projects to be presented to industry executives, offering the winner a $10,000 development grant.
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About

The IFFLA 2026 lineup will include competition sections for both features and shorts, comprising narrative, documentary and animation works.

FEATURES
This competitive category presents the most exciting new feature-length films from India, the greater South Asian subcontinent and the South Asian diasporas. Please note that we are not opening the call for feature submissions this year. Selections for this category will be curated by invitation only.

SHORTS
This category presents in competition an eclectic lineup of new short-length films that represent the most singular work coming out of India and the greater South Asian subcontinent, and its diasporas. This category is now open for submissions.

ONE-ON-ONE - Industry Program
ALL selected features and shorts filmmakers are invited to participate in the festival’s renowned One-on-One event, a pioneering industry program that connects emerging storytellers to industry professionals and executives from major and independent production and distribution companies based in Hollywood. Through a series of one-on-one 15-minute meetings, the program offers a new generation of talented filmmakers a unique opportunity to get guidance about their careers, as well as lay the foundation for possible future collaborations.

IFFLA INDUSTRY DAYS
All selected filmmakers are invited to attend our IFFLA Industry Days events. Those interested in also participating in Launch Pad: A Pitch Competition with a project-in-development must submit a separate entry for that program, and follow the corresponding application guidelines and deadlines.

Awards & Prizes

Grand Jury Award for Best Feature
Grand Jury Award for Best Short

Honorable Mention for Features
Honorable Mention for Shorts

Audience Choice Award for Best Feature
Audience Choice Award for Best Short

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSION RULES

1. Eligible for the festival are films from South Asia (defined here as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka); films by filmmakers of South Asian descent worldwide, irrespective of theme; films with key creatives of South Asian descent (defined here as director, writer, producer or lead cast); and films by international filmmakers worldwide, with a prevalent South Asian focus.

2. Films must have been completed in 2024 or later.

3. Films must have a running time of 40 minutes or less.

4. A theatrical Los Angeles premiere status is strongly preferred, but not required for short films. Films must not be available online or on streaming services, on or before the festival dates.

5. Films must be submitted in English or with English language subtitles.

6. All entries must be submitted via FilmFreeway. Filmmakers must submit an online screener of their film through the platform, or by providing a link to an external site (e.g. Vimeo) with any necessary passwords.

7. Entry fees are non-refundable and must be paid by credit card through FilmFreeway.

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

9. Student submissions require proof of student status. To qualify for a student discount, a film must be registered as a student project on FilmFreeway and the filmmaker must be, or have been, enrolled in an accredited school at the time of the film’s production. At the time of submission, a picture of the filmmaker’s student ID must be emailed to Anna Li, IFFLA’s Programming Coordinator, at ali@indianfilmfestival.org.

10. If your film is selected to be screened at the festival, you will be required to provide the final exhibition copy of your film in DCP format, and well as a press kit, synopsis, full credits, film stills, trailer (or film clips), and a director's bio with a headshot.

11. All filmmakers will be notified of their film's selection status via email on or before March 23, 2026.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Films are invited to be shown in the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles by the festival’s Artistic Director in consultation with staff. Inclusion in the festival is at the sole discretion of the festival’s Artistic Director and the Executive Director.

2. The number, dates, times and locations of screenings shall be at the discretion of the festival’s Artistic Director and the Executive Director.

3. Once a film is selected to be screened at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, producers or distributors agree not to hold a screening of the film in Los Angeles or one accessible virtually to a Los Angeles audience prior to the festival screening.

4. All exhibition copies must be delivered in the DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format, preferably a non-encrypted DCP. Exhibition copies can be delivered to IFFLA via a downloadable link. We may also be able to provide a host for you to upload the DCP, and can confirm with details in time. If a physical copy of the DCP must be sent, it will be sent at the film representative's expense. IFFLA will cover the return of the physical DCP to the film's representative as specified in the Invited Film Entry form.

5. Films will be shown to the press in advance of the festival, if at all possible, unless the representative specifies "no press screenings" on the Invited Entry Form (or by writing to the festival office).

6. Films invited by the festival agree to provide in a timely fashion the screening copy of the film in an approved format, as well as adequate publicity materials, such as director’s bio and headshot, high-quality film stills, film trailer and/or film clips.

7. Submission of a signed entry form constitutes acceptance of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles regulations. Additionally, festival management reserves the right to decide all questions not specifically provided for in the regulations.

8. All disputes, matters of interpretation, controversies and other issues arising under, or relating to the submission rules or the above terms and conditions shall be determined and resolved according to the laws of the State of California.
9 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Sana Jafri

    Best festival I've attended yet with my short film, Permanent Guest. All the films were very thoughtfully curated, the Q&As were far from generic and the theatres were packed with the most responsive audience. Moreover, I was super impressed with the Industry days, including the one on ones and the panels. I was able to connect with so many amazing filmmakers and executives and built relationships that have continued to grow after the festival ended.
    If you're a South Asian filmmaker, don't even think twice about submitting and attending the festival in person.

    May 2026
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  • Manjinder Virk

    Unfortunately we were unable to represent our film DEKHO but the team were incredible in communication and publicising the films remotely. This is a festival that loves films and filmmakers and the passion comes through with those that we spoke to. Hope to be there in person next time!

    May 2026
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  • Sunita Prasad

    IFFLA's filmmaker hospitality was truly incredible, with excellent organization, communication, and facilitation of networking. Most importantly, they programmed amazing films! Which is all the more reason we were so honored to come away with the Audience Choice Award for Best Short for our film, Sleep Training!

    May 2025
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  • Jhanvi Motla

    IFFLA does the most for both the filmmakers and the films! As someone who has attended in the past as a patron, it was so exciting to be on the other side. Our Q&A had incredibly thoughtful questions, the selection was well curated and the staff went over and above to help us and schedule amazing one-on-ones with Network executives. Could not have imagined a better world premiere for us.

    November 2023
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  • Saleem Gondal

    IFFLA was an amazing experience. It was really special to connect with the close-knit South Asian community in LA. The programmers are invested in all the filmmakers who attend and cultivating joy and excitement about all the films. The hospitality was out of this world from the moment I landed in LAX. The whole IFFLA team will make you love movies again.

    November 2023
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