Media365
2 min readPuneOct 12, 2026 08:04 PM IST
At a time when short film production seemed to be slowing down, the enthusiasm and response at the 7th Mumba International Film Festival offered hope for the future of the medium, said Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Vice-Chancellor Dheeraj Singh.
“At a time when the momentum of short film production seemed to be slowing down, the overwhelming enthusiasm and response witnessed at this festival is deeply inspiring. It undoubtedly signals a promising horizon for the world of short filmmaking,” Singh said.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the festival’s closing ceremony and awards night, held at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) auditorium on Prabhat Road.
Those present on the dais included festival organiser Jai Bhosale, festival director Virendra Chitrav, managing director Abhishek Avchar, director-producer Kedar Shinde, filmmaker Mark Bennington, filmmaker Sameer Soni and actor Shilpa Shirodkar.
This edition of the festival received support from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and FTII. Among the winners were the films Halgi and Malavazhi.
Praising the organising team, Dheeraj Singh said, “Curating a festival dedicated to short films, documentaries, and features is an immense challenge that demands a passionate and dedicated team. Mumba Film Foundation has embraced this challenge admirably.”
Filmmaker Kedar Shinde highlighted the importance of platforms that promote independent cinema.
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“Though my career has been entirely rooted in mainstream commercial cinema, I feel profoundly grateful to be invited to a platform celebrating short films and documentaries. Festivals like this are vital because they provide a powerful stage for emerging storytellers. Crucially, Mumbai has maintained consistency year after year,” he said.
