14th CIDSFF 2026 : Selection Committee

14th Chennai International Documentaries and Short Film Festival 2026

19-28 February, Chennai 

Organised by MARUPAKKAM 30

Official Selection Process: The forte of our film festival is we give the most importance and commitment to the shortlisting of films to be screened at our screenings. We include a wide range of individuals who can contribute with their distinctive inputs in the selection of films. We ensure the final list does not support any form of hatred and fake propaganda. We also use this opportunity to introduce new forms of films and arguments showing respect to the time, energy, intelligence, sensibility and perspectives of the audience members in Chennai. 

Our film festival is a lucky platform for the first time filmmakers who show promise, curiosity and courage in their creation. Many young and new directors had shown their first films at our film festival and had progressed well in their careers, later taking part in renowned film festivals around the globe.  Many individuals (who later became filmmakers) had watched documentaries and short films at our editions and got inspired and motivated to venture into the field of filmmaking. 

We are very proud of playing a small role in their journey.

This time we received 250 films through Filmfreeway platform from across the world and our selection committee toiled meticulously to finalise the list of 100 films to be shown at our film festival. 

We generally do not give any inputs to the Selection Committee as we believe in the uniqueness of each and every member who belongs to different professions and social backgrounds. This time too we requested them to rely on their worldview while selecting the films.

We thank them all!

The Selection Committee 

Vinod Raja, filmmaker

Graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India-FTII with a specialisation in cinematography 1984-85 . As the director of photography, filmed many advertisement commercials and Public awareness films shown on television channels and film festivals. As DOP photographed many documentary films shown on International Television channels and Film festivals.

Prof Punitha Dorairajan, academician

Dr.D.Punitha  is the Head and Associate Professor of the Post Graduate Department of Communication at the Women’s Christian College, Chennai. She is also the DEAN, CENTRE FOR WOMEN'S STUDIES AT WCC. She has twenty six years of teaching experience as well as three years of industry experience. Her doctoral thesis is on the Political economy of Entertainment Television. She has been part of the curriculum revision committee  for Journalism and Communication. Nominated by the University of Madras, She is a member of the Board of Studies in various colleges in the city. She has published chapters in books and presented papers in many national and international seminars and conferences. She has chaired several sessions in International and National Conferences across the Country.

She is a certified Factshala trainer.  FactShala is a news and information literacy programme launched in India by Internews in collaboration with DataLEADS with support from Google.org and the Google News Initiative.

She has delivered invited Lectures on Films and Feminism, Gender and Caste, Media Economics and Media Research Methods.

She has been involved in Collaborative Research Projects.

She has been part of several documentary festivals. 

She is also the External Expert of the Gender Sensitisation committee of the Madras High Court.

Nandalal, film society activist

Nandalal R. is a cultural activist and organizer based in Kerala, with significant contributions to the fields of cinema, language, and the environment.

Professional and Creative Background

• Film Society Movement: He is a key organizer of Open Frame Payyannur, one of Kerala's most vital film societies.

• Subtitling Expert: As part of the film society movement, he is actively involved in creating Malayalam subtitles for world cinema and has won an award for the same. Additionally, he has provided English subtitles for various films by acclaimed directors in Malayalam.

• • Official Recognition: He is a recipient of the State Government's Bhasha Puraskaram (Official Language Award) for his contributions to propagate Malayalam as the sole official language of Kerala.

• Profession: He serves as an official in the Department of Homeopathy.

Organizational Roles

• FFSI: Regional Council member of the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI), Kerala Region.

• Editorial Work: Member of the editorial board of Drishyathalam, a renowned cinema magazinein Malayalam.

Literary and Environmental Contributions

• Writing: Was a regular contributor to leading periodicals like Mathrubhumi Weekly.

• Environmentalism: An active advocate for environmental and energy conservation.

• Human Rights Advocacy: He is an ardent activist for the abolition of the death penalty.

• Authorship: Co-author of the book Oorjam, Krishi, Vellam (Energy, Agriculture, Water), published by Thrissur Current Books.

• Public Speaking: He is a frequent speaker in Malayalam on diverse subjects including cinema, mother tongue (Malayalam), environment, and energy.

Ramdas Kadavallur, filmmaker

Ramdas Kadavallur is a filmmaker from Kerala, India. He started his career as a journalist and was a news reader in All India Radio, Delhi, for more than a decade since 2003. A postgraduate in Mathematics, he later completed his postgraduate diploma in Mass Communication.

His debut film, "Mannu: Sprouts of Endurance," which explores the land struggles, ecological, and environmental issues of the Western Ghats and the Pempilai Orumai movement that took place in Munnar in 2015, received widespread acclaim at numerous international film festivals.

"Mannu" was also selected to screen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US, as part of the 49th South Asian Conference, where it was one of three films chosen from South Asia. The film received a Special Jury Mention for Best Human Rights Film at the Nepal Cultural Film Festival and was officially selected for IDSFFK, organized by Kerala Chalachithra Academy. Additionally, it won the FFSI (Federation of Film Societies of India) Award for Best Documentary Film at the SiGNS film festival. His second feature-length documentary, "Beyond Hatred and Power, We Keep Singing," premiered at IDSFFK and received its international premiere at the Jaffna International Film Festival. His latest non fiction feature film ‘ Sathyappullu : The Magical Grass ‘, premiered in IDSFFK , also received special jury mention in SiGNS festival in the category of Cinema of Resistance. 

A strong voice against human rights violations, his films have been widely screened in major film schools, including SRFTI, and organizations in India. He is also an invitee of film schools and writes articles about films in leading journals. He has conducted talks on films at universities and film schools. His films have been screened in major international venues in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the US.

Mitali Biswas, filmmaker

Mitali Biswas is an independent filmmaker and women’s rights activist with over three decades of sustained engagement in progressive social movements. Her body of work includes the co-directed documentary S.D.: Saroj Dutta and His Times (2018), which received the 12th John Abraham Award for Best Documentary at the SiGNS Film Festival, Kerala, and was showcased at several prominent documentary film festivals. She also directed Naam Poribortito (2015), a film that critically examines sexual violence against women and has been screened across diverse platforms and forums.

She serves on the editorial board of Samakaleen Protibidhan, a publication committed to documenting and advancing women’s movements. Over the past five years, she has conceptualized and spearheaded the “Calendar Canvas of Untold History,” an acclaimed annual calendar project, a collaborative art initiative that brings together numerous artists to foreground suppressed and marginalized histories from across India, and which has received wide recognition and appreciation across the country.

Chitrangada Choudhury, journalist & filmmaker 

Chitrangada Choudhury is a multimedia journalist, filmmaker, and geographer. Her reportage on the environment, social justice and rural communities has been cited for multiple journalism awards including the Sanskriti Foundation Award, the Press Council of India’s National Award for Investigative Reporting, and the Lorenzo Natali Journalism Prize twice. Her academic research has appeared in various edited volumes and journals including ‘Capitalism, Nature, Socialism’ and ‘Elementa – Science of the Anthropocene’. She is on the Editorial Board of Article 14, an award-winning digital outlet dedicated to issues of law, justice and the Constitution.

Jithin KC, film society activist & author 

Jithin KC from Palakkad, is a prominent film critic and a film society activist. He had his Bachelor of Technology: Computer Science and Engineering from MEA Engineering College, under Calicut University and currently working at Union bank. He was awarded for the best article in television by the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy for the year 2020 and best article for films in the year 2021. He had been the executive editor of IFFK festival book for the years 2018 and 2019, hosted open form of IDSFFK by Kerala State Chalachithra Academy and translated many articles. He had written and published articles, interviews and translations in leading Malayalam Magazines such as Madhyamam weekly, Deshabhimani weekly, Deshabhimani Weekend, Chalachithra Sameeksha (Kerala State Chalachithra Academy Magazine ), Drushyathalam(FFSI Keralam Magazine ) and a columnist at online web portals like TheCue.in and Pratilipi. He is now successfully pursuing his passion for film studies and writing. 

Senthil Kumaran, filmmaker

Harold Anthony Paulson, film society activist & filmmaker 

Amudhan RP, filmmaker, Curator & teacher

14th CIDSFF 2026 : Special Screenings

14th Chennai International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2026

19 - 28 Feb, multiple venues, Chennai 

Organised by MARUPAKKAM 30

Special Screenings :

DAY 2, 20 Feb; 10 am to 6 pm ; Goethe Institut, Chennai 

Organised by GOETHE INSTITUT & MARUPAKKAM 30

Schedule 

10 am 

Sathyapullu (The Magical Grass)

Dir : Ramdas Kadavallur; 67 min; Doc; India 

The alarming unsavoury developments in the socio-political milieu of India in the recent years have dented the confidence of a multitude of Indians who cherish peace and camaraderie.A nation that always upheld secular and democratic values since independence, a large chunk of the people is deeply concerned about the recent attacks on these much cherished ideals! The documentary is a journey through the mindscape of a young women, who is earnestly longing for the true secularism and coexistence of different communities in India.

Interaction with the film crew

Formless Form

Dir : Debaranjan; 60 min; Doc; India 

Casteism, in India, is deeply rooted in the social hierarchy based on birth and occupation, and with Brahmins it was at the top. This system fosters discrimination, prejudice and social exclusion. In course of time, various religious movements and teachings have arisen across the subcontinent to abolish such oppressive caste system and advocate for equality.

2 pm 

Nocturnes
Dir : Anirban Dutta, Anupama Srinivasan; 82 min; Doc; India

Amidst the lush Eastern Himalayan forests, moths convey a mysterious message. Under the cover of night, two inquisitive observers illuminate this clandestine universe, unraveling the secrets whispered by these enigmatic creatures.

Interaction with Anirban Dutta, director of the film 'NOCTURNES'

4 pm 

Farming the Revolution
Dir : Nishtha Jain; 105 min; Doc; India

Farming the Revolution takes us to the heart of the massive year-long protests against the Indian government’s then newly enacted farm laws during the COVID lockdown. Over half a million protesters gathered – men and women from all generations, religions, classes and castes – and reinvented co-existence at massive protest sites that burgeoned on the borders of Delhi. The film invites us to experience the everyday textures and indomitable spirit of this historic farmers’ movement – until, finally, victory.

Interaction with Nishtha Jain, director of the film 'Farming the Revolution'

14th CIDSFF 2026 : International Short Fiction

14th CIDSFF 2026, Chennai
Category – International Short Fiction

Selection
Dir: Sanjivani Kamble; 24:53 min; Short fiction; India

When Savi decides to leave behind the chaos of Bombay for a new job in Alibaug, her roommate Anu is left navigating the quiet storm of unspoken emotions. What begins as a simple farewell unfolds into a tender, introspective journey about love, and a friendship at the brink of change. It is a bittersweet coming-of-age story that explores the quiet ache of growing up, the choices we must make, and the bonds that shape us, even when they slip through our fingers.

Don’t Kill My Memory
Dir: Liquan Zeng; 23:00 min; Short Fiction; China

A 10-year-old girl of divorced parents glimpses the hidden complexities of the adult world while living with her father and his young girlfriend—unwittingly stepping into a harsh rite of passage.

Guanyin Hostel
Dir: Qiancao Xiao; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; China

After a typhoon, the unexpected arrival of a baby on a rainy night disrupted the tranquility of the Guanyindu Scenic Area.

Bob Wanna Kill
Dir: Y Yang; 19:20 min; Short Fiction; Norway

In a brutal world where breaking up means killing your partner, an arrogant and self-satisfied man contemplates murdering his lover, whose path no longer aligns with his own.

A dream like a dream
Dir: Linjie Sheng; 13:16 min; Short Fiction; China

A man, whose body has perished, finds his soul lingering in the remnants of daily life. Unaware of his own death, he feels no particular concern for his destination. An unexpected phone call forges a brief connection to the living world—a bond as fleeting as his mortal existence, where genuine engagement always eluded him.

Dissonance
Dir: Chaochen LI; 21:52 min; Short Fiction; China

Young Yangyang, not yet ten, obediently practiced the violin at his mother's behest for an upcoming exam. Meanwhile, Han Qin, his mother, felt the monotony of life eroding her once vibrant dreams of art and dance. Father Luo Guangzhi, trapped in a dull job, sought solace in weekend card games before facing an inevitable business trip, resigned to a stagnant existence. Teacher Xia, once esteemed, now a mere home instructor after the troupe disbanded, grappled with family conflicts and financial strain, teetering on the edge of collapse...

Unwritten Verses
Dir: Fathima Shanaz; 11:58 min; Short Fiction; Sri Lanka

Fathima, a 25 year old woman, seeks a divorce through the Quazi court. Her journey to obtain justice becomes challenging as she faces procedural delays, lack of support, and emotional hardship. The film follows her experiences within the system, highlighting the struggles many women encounter while trying to secure their rights. Fathima portrays one woman’s effort to find fairness and independence within the existing legal and social framework.

Astronauta
Dir: Giorgio Giampà; 16:00 min; Short Fiction; France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico

Audely, 39, works as a lumberjack in the Guatemalan jungle. At home, his daughter Carol, 11, dreams of entering that same forest. Audely thinks about it, then goes to the moon.

Mounir
Dir: Xose Dopazo, Javier Rúa; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; Spain

Mounir is an irregular migrant who lives in constant fear of deportation, but also with the hope that this is the day he will finally get his "papers"

Monologue
Dir: Danae MOSSMAN; 13:25 min; Short Fiction; New Zealand

Mary has been ejected from her affluent marriage and stripped of her role as mother. Home alone on New Year’s Eve in the elegant apartment to which she has been exiled, her mind whirs, the psychic rubble of her privileged life threatens to overwhelm her. Tomorrow she will meet with her husband to discuss the terms of their unfolding divorce and the custody of their son – a battle that he is destined to win. Freely adapted from Simone de Beauvoir's novella Monologue (1968)

Memento Fabulam
Dir: Candela Núñez Gutiérrez; 22:00 min; Short Fiction; Spain

Memento Fabulam reconstructs the silenced memory of Jerez during the Francoist repression, guided by the figure of “ grandfather Viruta,” a carpenter who wrote down the names of those who disappeared. His grandson narrates this legacy while 22 families share their stories of absence, dignity, and resistance. The documentary culminates with a tribute to Viruta on July 18, 2024, in a city that, at last, begins to name its own.

Nur Sultan
Dir: Xoan Escudero; 14:00 min; Short Fiction; Spain

Nur Sultán is a matryoshka.

A city with many names: two years ago it was Nur Sultán, ten years ago Astana, thirty Akmolinsk, sixty Tselinograd, a hundred Ak Mola. The place is the same, but its meaning has constantly changed. This is not a film about geography or a list of exotic names—it's a first-person story about the time I spent there. A journey far from eurocentrism, where what took me 7,000 km from home wasn’t tourism or curiosity, but something else. Nur Sultán is also a film about trains, snow, cinema, and communism.

I want to come back
Dir: Sara Brun Moreno; 14:00 min; Short Fiction; Spain

Behind every adolescent suicide attempt lies a story of pain and disconnection. In adolescence, everything transforms: bodies, identities, and bonds shift without warning, and often no one truly understands. This short film forgoes explanations to focus on what remains: everyday objects, unanswered messages, rooms that fill with silence. Told through the eyes of those who survive the emptiness, we reveal how the promise of relief shatters, leaving guilt, questions, and a pain that spreads. The film offers a sober, precise gaze—an intimate observation that demands we listen before it is too late. We seek to awaken empathy: gestures can stop the fall; the film calls us not to normalize silence.

Puzzleak, The Rape Palace
Dir: Kote Camacho, Anonymous; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; Spain

Upon discovering nude photos of her as a child on the internet, Ane remembers moments she had erased from her mind. She was also video-taped, secretly like many other, during the sessions by a protected famous photographer from San Sebastián.

Knallrot
Dir: Elias Förderer; 6:49 min; Short Fiction; Germany

Where is the Perle Dorée? Charlie works as a butler for his long-time boss, Ms. Steinberg - an unequal yet symbiotic relationship. But as trust begins to crumble, the power imbalance begins to falter...

Milky Girl
Dir: Olga Dobromyslova; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; Russian Federation

A young couple of lovers gives birth to a beautiful blond girl. Everything goes well until it becomes clear that the father has faded into the background, and the mother is ready to practically disappear into the child.

Reliefs
Dir: Juan Manuel Gonzalez Fernandez; 17:40 min; Short Fiction; Mexico

Carlos is approaching midlife trapped in a personal crisis that has lingered too long. Rosa, his mother, suffers from disabling pain that is only mitigated by the warm waters of hydrotherapy. One night, she offers to make the ultimate sacrifice so that they can both transit to a better place. A short film about love, hope and relief we all long for.

Hunter Hunted
Dir: Balaji V; 13:40 min; Short Fiction; Germany

Dr. Hogel and her patient, Mr. Mundlos, are engaged in a session of psychiatric counseling, yet it is merely a facade. Beneath the surface, their conversation is a careful game of manipulation, where words conceal as much as they reveal. What seems like therapy may be something else entirely—after all, not everything is as it appears.

Saxo
Dir: C Tarun Arvind; 28:50 min; Short Fiction; Germany

When Mr. Savvel is compelled to work in a new city with order and hierarchy, he faces difficult situations while simultaneously hoping for a better life. When difficult moments are eliminated, so are joyous ones. Will his new life be more accepting, despite the ups and downs?

Awakening
Dir: Sonya Dukhon; 5:51 min; Short Fiction; Israel

An elderly couple decides to perform a ritual to bring their dead friend back to life and become young again.

Beneath the Veil
Dir: Hareem Fatima; 21:58 min; Short Fiction; United Kingdom

Aaliyah, a British-Pakistani pornographer navigates through sexuality, her relationship, and hate from her audience. It explores the control Aaliyah feels over her body autonomy, and how porn may affect this.

The film discovers attitudes towards women in Pakistan, and how this heritage affected Aaliyah’s upbringing - contributing to the very porn she currently creates.