Welcome to the Canberra edition of
National Indian Film Festival of Australia

Australia’s first and only national celebration of Indian cinema returns in 2026 with an expanded program and a historic national footprint.

We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary support from audiences, filmmakers, and partners, which has enabled NIFFA 2026 to grow into the largest national celebration of Indian cinema anywhere in the world outside India, spanning 13+ cities, presenting 32+ films in official selection across 18 Indian languages, with every film screening in official selection as an Australian, International, or World Premiere.

We thank the filmmakers and the global industry, along with key partners such as the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), for entrusting us with their work. This trust is both an honour and a responsibility, one we carry with great care as we present these stories to Australian audiences. True to its spirit as a festival for filmmakers, by filmmakers, and of filmmakers, NIFFA 2026 also features a dynamic program of red carpets, special screenings, panel discussions, and industry conversations, creating space not just to showcase cinema, but to engage with it meaningfully.

My association with Canberra goes back to 1999, when we filmed some of the earliest music videos here with Anubhav Sinha, a filmmaker we are proud to honour this year with the Nishtha Award as we celebrate his remarkable body of work. 

Over the years, Canberra has played host to several significant Indian screen projects, and today it is emerging as a forward-looking hub supporting India-centric Australian stories. It is particularly encouraging to see the proactive role of Screen Canberra in nurturing such narratives, including their support for the development of Chilli Chicks and Heart Attacks, written by Canberra-based writer Dr Sanjaya Senanayake. 

We look forward to building on this momentum—bringing more India-centric Australian stories and co-productions to the ACT, and continuing to engage with this beautiful region as a creative partner in the evolving Australia–India screen relationship. 

NIFFA today is more than a film festival. It is a national Australian platform for conversations around cinema, culture, community, and commerce between Australia and India. 

It is your platform. We invite you to embrace it, use it, and share it as your cultural space, one that celebrates diversity, fosters dialogue, and enriches Australia’s vibrant screen culture.