How long to binge-watch the same shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime? In today’s world where most of the entertainment we get is from movies and cinema, we need to understand the significance of cinema and its making. Now, what is the solution for that? It’s easy! Film festivals! Film festivals will not only let you have a change in the genre of movies you watch but can be a great learning process too! Here are 10 such international film festivals in India!

The Jaipur International Film Festival: The Pink City and Cinema

The Jaipur international film festival is one of the fastest-growing film festivals in India. It takes place in January or February every year in Rajasthan. What do we gain out of this film festival? The Jaipur film festival is one such platform that allows the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and culture between India and other nations. It also is an open platform that promotes new filmmakers and gives them a stage. In 2019 the JIFF received about 2221 films from 103 countries. . This surely is a sign of success!

The Jaipur international film festival of 2021 is decided to take place from 15th Jan 2021 to the 19th Jan 2021. . The festival will take place on an online platform. The final deadline to submit the films is on 31st December 2020.

General Rules and regulations 

• Films must be feature films/documentary features.
• They must have been released between 1st January 2019 and December 2020 
• The eligibility period will be determined by the Censorship certificate of the country where the film has been released.
• A film which is not accepted for the Competition Section can be shown in the World Premier.
• The competition will be held subject to the acceptance of a minimum of seven eligible films from different Continents.

Dharmashala international film festival: Cinema on Foothills

What began in 2012 as an encouragement for the local society to engage in good intermittent movie watching is today, India’s leading international film festival. To add to its advantage is the location of the International film festival. The film festival takes placed in the foothills of the north Indian Himalayas. This beauty attracts large crowds of people to its narrow roads. It strives to develop vibrant film culture in its region. 

The film festival does not have awards as it operates in the belief that a celebration of good cinema does not require competition. Due to uncertainty prevailing, the DIFF 2021 will take place on an online platform. Films that are completed on or after 1st January 2019 is eligible for the film festival.

Rules and regulations 

• Films need to be Dharamshala premiere.
• Only HD format films are accepted.
• Selected films from outside India need to send downloadable digital files 
• Any content that promotes racism, hatred among communities or religion, gender discrimination, animal cruelty, or propaganda films will not be accepted 
• Any kind of misrepresentation or failure to adhere to the norms of DIFF will lead to disqualification of the film.

The Kolkata international film festival: The hub of Bengali cinema

A Fan of Bengali movies? This film festival is for you! Launched in the year 1995, the Kolkata international film festival drew its inspiration from Bengali cinemas. Earlier the film festival was yes prestigious but was not as popular as it got in the year 2011. It reached a larger no of an audience this year. Why 2011 specifically one might wonder? Well, it is because this year the film festival got guidance and inspiration from the honorable chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Even though so prestigious and popular the secret to the big success of the film festival is its accessibility to the common masses.

The 27th edition of KIFF is to take place on the 8th of Jan till 15th Jan 2021. To make public participation more prominent the Kolkata international film festival will have a physical screening in a restricted manner since they did not want to change the inclusiveness of the festival.

General Rules and regulations 

• Short films must be friction films.
• Duration must not be more than 30 minutes 
• The film must have an Indian premiere 
• A director is not allowed to enter in more than one film for selection.
• Films screened earlier in the Kolkata international film festival will not be eligible.
• Films must be available for festival screening on high-quality blu- Ray or mp4

The Mumbai international film festival: Passion Land for streaming new movies

The Mumbai film festival only showcases edge-cutting independent movies and hence is very inclusive. The main goal of this international film festival is to sustain and kindle a passion for movies. The 21st edition of the film festival took place on the 17th of October of 2019 and the 22 edition is to take place in October 2021. 

General Rules and regulations  

• The Film festival will not provide feedback on films or specific reasons for selection or rejection of any film.
• A film is considered completed as per the date declared on the form by its rights holder.
• In case of any evidence of inconsistency, the film festival reserves the right to disqualify the film.
• The Mumbai Film Festival is a festival only for people who are of the age of 18 and above. Therefore, anyone under the age of 18 cannot attend any of our screenings, regardless of how instrumental they were to the film.
• Films applying to the festival do not require a certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). In case a film already has a certification, only the certified version will be considered for screening.
• The festival does not allow film screener links where the film can be downloaded.

Kerala international film festival: An aesthetic of Malayalam cinema

Guided by the motto that cinema should contribute to the complete development of human beings, as both an individual and as a society The Kerala state chalachitra academy, a government institution conducts the Kerala international film festival every year. To make things interesting a competitive sector for the films from Asian, Latin, African, and American countries is held. This is also a significant highlight of the festival! 

The main objective of this international film festival is the preservation and propagation of Malayalam movies, to document the history of Malayalam cinema, and to honor people and films that contribute to the aesthetics of Malayalam cinema! 

The 25th edition of the Kerala international film festival got postponed to the 12th of February 2021. Any films completed between September 1 2019 and august 31 2020 are eligible to apply for the festival. 

General Rules and regulations 

• The film should not be more than 70 min in length 
• The films should be an Indian –premiere. 
• All the films screened at the festival should be in the original language with English subtitles.
• Submission of the film must be done via Eventival. 

The international short film festival in India: the capital of cinema and its festival

Like we all know, Mumbai is the film capital of our country, so what better place to celebrate a film festival in India than Mumbai! This film festival is an initiative taken by the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association along with some passionate individuals from the film industry! This international film festival aims to provide knowledge about film making and give the younger generation a platform to become great filmmakers!

Rules and regulations 

• All films shall be with English Subtitles
• Web series duration shall not be more than 50 minute
• Registration forms with details shall be submitted online.
• All submitted films shall be watched by the Selection Committee and their decisions shall be final.
• All Indian films submitted will be eligible for the Indian Competition.
• ISFFI may add some awards to the list as per submissions.

Golden bee international film festival: kids and movies!

Established in 2016 this film festival is one of its kind! Wondering why? It is because the golden bee film festival aims to stimulate entertaining and informative cinema to children. In India, there are very few film festivals that target children as their audience, and The Golden Bee film festival tops this pattern. The golden bee has covered 21 cities across 10 states and has screened over 180 films! Apart from this it also conducts time-to-time workshops such as storytelling, filmmaking, and photography to encourage children in the area!

The 2021 Golden Bee film festival is to take place on the 10th of January. The submission date for the same is 28th December 2020. The theme for this year is children film on science and nature 

Films produced after January 1, 2018, are eligible for the festival.

General Rules and regulations 

• Genres for the film festival include – Short Films, documentaries, Feature Films, Animation Films, etc. 
• Films made by Children (up to 18 years of age) or made for Children are invited to the festival.
• Films should be of a duration of 1 to 120 min.
• Films once entered cannot be withdrawn.
• No screening fee will be paid to the filmmaker for the festival screening.