The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) has concluded its 2026 edition with a grand finale held across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The festival further strengthened its position as one of the largest celebrations of Indian cinema outside India, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals, and movie lovers from both countries.
Top Winners At NIFFA 2026
This year’s top honours went to several acclaimed independent films.
Jeejivisha Kale’s Marathi drama Tighee (Motherhood) won the award for Best Indie Feature, while Ankur Arun Kakatkar’s Mumbai-set romance Courage was named Best International Indie Feature.
Chintan Kamlesh Parekh’s documentary Gottipua: Beyond Borders, which had its world premiere at the festival, won Best Documentary. Meanwhile, Khwabeeda, directed by Beybaar and Vishal Tiwari, received the Best Short Film award, presented in association with Pocket Films.
In a notable connection to the festival’s mission, the producers of both winning feature films are graduates of Australian film schools.
They are part of a growing group of filmmakers trained in Australia who are contributing to independent Indian cinema.
Indian Film Personalities Honoured
Several well-known figures from the Indian film industry were honoured at the festival.
Filmmakers Anubhav Sinha and Leena Yadav received NIFFA’s Nishtha Awards, while veteran trade analyst Komal Nahta was honoured with the Vimarsh Samman. Earlier in the festival, actor Anupam Kher received the Indian International Cinema Icon Award.
The closing events also served as a platform for discussions on future India-Australia screen collaborations and the opportunities available through the co-production treaty between the two countries.
Indian Cinema Reaches Across Australia
NIFFA 2026 recorded its biggest footprint yet, spanning more than 13 cities and featuring over 200 screenings, red-carpet events, workshops, masterclasses and special presentations.
More than 32 films in 15 Indian languages were screened during the festival. The event travelled across Australia’s major cities, regional centres and outback locations, bringing Indian cinema to a wider audience.
The festival demonstrated the growing popularity of Indian storytelling across different parts of Australia, including some of the country’s most iconic cultural and civic venues.
Festival Director On NIFFA’s Growth
Festival Director Anupam Sharma said the 2026 edition reflected the festival’s evolution into something much larger than a film event.
“In a short time NIFFA became something bigger – a national platform where cinema, culture, community and commerce between India and Australia meet in real time. This is very important in the current environment of anti-immigration and pro-monocultural narratives being attempted.”
Queensland politician John-Paul Langbroek also highlighted the festival’s role in strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.
“Festivals such as NIFFA play an important role in connecting communities, celebrating cultural exchange and showcasing the power of storytelling to bring people together… we are delighted to host a festival that strengthens the cultural and creative ties between Australia and India,” said Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, State Member for Surfers Paradise, Queensland.
Strong Support From India And Australia
The 2026 edition received extensive institutional support from organisations in both countries.
Australian partners included Screen Queensland, Destination NSW, Screen NSW, the City of Perth, Creative Industries WA, the City of Brisbane and Indian community organisations across the country. The Northern Territory Government also backed the festival through Tourism and Events NT and Screen Territory as part of a two-year commitment.
Regional partners such as RADO in Broken Hill and the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs helped expand the festival beyond metropolitan areas.
From India, support came from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, NDTV, Pocket Films, and Indian diplomatic missions across Australia.
A major development for the festival was the announcement of a three-year partnership with Destination NSW and a two-year partnership with the Northern Territory.
The agreements are expected to create fresh opportunities for discussions around filming locations, production capabilities, and future India-Australia co-productions.
At a time when debates around migration and identity continue in Australia, the festival highlighted the role cinema can play in encouraging cultural understanding and strengthening connections between communities.
