3rd Bhubaneswar Film Festival to Showcase Multilingual Cinema, Masterclasses and Industry Interactions
Bhubaneswar: The third edition of the Bhubaneswar Film Festival (BFF) 2026 will be held at Jayadev Bhawan from June 25 to 28, bringing together acclaimed filmmakers, actors, technicians, writers and cinema enthusiasts from across the country for a four-day celebration of Indian cinema.
Launched in 2024 through the collective efforts of filmmakers, technicians, writers and cinema experts from Odisha and Mumbai, the festival was conceived as a non-competitive platform aimed at taking quality cinema beyond India’s metropolitan centres. The initiative seeks to establish Bhubaneswar as an important destination for cinematic dialogue, learning and cultural exchange in eastern India.
Over the years, the festival has emerged as a multilingual cinematic extravaganza, showcasing award-winning films from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Previous editions have featured films in Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Chhattisgarhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Dimasa and Tiwa, reflecting India’s rich cultural and cinematic diversity.
The festival provides a unique opportunity for audiences to engage directly with filmmakers and other professionals associated with cinema. It serves as a vibrant platform for interaction, debate and exchange of ideas among writers, directors, actors and technicians from different parts of the country. Skill enhancement of young filmmakers, writers, technicians and aspiring actors remains one of the festival’s core objectives.
Rich Programme Line-up
This year’s festival will go beyond film screenings and adopt a “film bazaar” approach by offering multiple avenues for learning, networking and collaboration.
The festival will screen films in 10 Indian languages, including Odia. A special retrospective dedicated to legendary filmmaker Bimal Roy will feature screenings of his iconic classics Do Bigha Zamin, Bandini and Sujata.
A series of masterclasses will be conducted by renowned industry professionals, including cinematographer and director Anil Mehta on cinematography, actor Neeraj Kabi on acting, screenwriter Saiwyn Quadras on screenplay writing, designers Divvya Gambhir and Nidhhi Gambhir on costume design, and Sukant Panigrahy on production design.
Focus on Scholarship and Dialogue
Continuing its tradition of promoting film scholarship, BFF will unveil its annual scholarly publication during the inaugural ceremony. The volume features contributions from film scholars, practitioners and academics from across the country.
The festival will also host interactive sessions with directors, critics, screenwriters and technicians, creating valuable learning opportunities, particularly for film institute students. A new segment titled “Talking Cinema” has been introduced this year, bringing together film scholars, experts, filmmakers and columnists for public discussions on contemporary cinema.
An additional highlight will be a special session on “Fabrics, Identity and Cinema”, exploring the relationship between textiles, cultural identity and cinematic representation in India.
Honouring Veteran Odia Artists
As part of its commitment to preserving Odisha’s cinematic heritage, the festival will continue its tradition of felicitating veteran Odia film personalities, particularly artists whose contributions have not received adequate recognition in recent years.
Among the prominent guests attending from Mumbai are cinematographer-director Anil Mehta, acclaimed actor Neeraj Kabi, and noted writer-director Tigmanshu Dhulia, who are expected to engage with audiences through discussions, masterclasses and interactive sessions.
The festival is expected to attract filmmakers, students, cinema lovers and cultural enthusiasts from across Odisha and beyond, further strengthening Bhubaneswar’s position on India’s cultural and cinematic map.