The 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) Launches Full Program, 13 - 24 August

by FilmInk Staff

Shared Stories, Shared Humanity

The 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is excited to announce its full program, unveiling over 130 films in 38 languages, with the vast majority screening for the first time to Australian audiences.

Now in its 17th year and proudly backed by the Victorian Government, IFFM is the largest celebration of Indian cinema held outside India and will bring a bold and diverse selection of stories to screens across Melbourne and regional Victoria celebrating the richness and diversity of Indian and South Asian cinema, and bringing together regional voices, independent storytellers, and mainstream cinema to audiences from 13th to 24th August.

Announcing this year’s program, IFFM Founder and Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said: “At IFFM we always believe that great storytelling transcends language, geography and identity. This year’s films reflect the incredible creative diversity shaping Indian cinema today from women filmmakers breaking new ground to powerful women-led narratives, queer stories that deserve to be seen and celebrated, and films representing the rich linguistic tapestry of our region.”

Opening and Closing Night

Opening Night – 14th August, Hoyts Dockland 7:30pm

IFFM will open with the Australian Premiere of MEMBERS OF THE PROBLEMATIC FAMILY, (Tamil) which arrives direct from its World Premiere in the Forum section of the 2026 Berlinale. Set over a 16-day funeral in rural Tamil Nadu, the film begins with the mysterious death of a troubled young man and unfolds through the lives of his sprawling family as they grapple with grief, anger, ritual, and unresolved tensions. Raw, immersive, and deeply humane, Director R. Gowtham’s striking debut captures the contradictions of family and community with unflinching honesty, offering a powerful meditation on loss, memory, and the unexpected ways people endure tragedy.

Closing Night – 23rd August, Village Cinemas, Crown 630pm

The Festival will close with the World Premiere of the short film GRAVEYARD SHIFT directed by Benu Bindra. Late at night in Melbourne, two immigrant women, a grieving student and a wife trapped in an arranged marriage, quietly battle loneliness and despair in a true inspired story of resilience and hope. This will be followed by FULL PLATE, the new feature from Tannishtha Chatterjee. Amreen had been a homemaker for 18 years until a freak accident during Holi left her husband, Imtiaz crippled for life. Challenged with the responsibility to run the house and educate three kids, Amreen must find a way to earn a living. With her neighbour, Sarita, a skilled cook, away for two months, Amreen jumps at the opportunity despite her husband’s unwillingness. But her Muslim identity becomes a major obstacle. Director Tannishtha Chatterjee and the film’s star Kirti Kulhari will both be in attendance.

CENTREPIECE SPOTLIGHT – 19th August Hoyts District Docklands, 6pm

This year’s Centrepiece film is the Australian Premiere of NOT A HERO, by acclaimed Director Rima Das who also wrote the screenplay. The film won the Crystal Bear Special Mention at his year’s Berlinale. We are delighted to confirm, that Rima Das will be a special guest at this year’s Festival.

Eleven-year-old Mivan has been raised in the city. Now, he is sent to his family’s ancestral village to stay with his young aunt, Pahi. Used to the rhythms and comforts of urban life, Mivan finds the village slow, unfamiliar and unwelcoming. As he is drawn into village routines, goes to school and develops new friendships, he begins to experience a world where time moves differently, and nothing comes easily.

The second Centrepiece screening is PARCHHAAVE MASSIA RATAAN DE (Shadows of The Moonless Nights) (Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi), Hoyts District Docklands, 6pm

Rajan works night shifts in a busy Pune warehouse but struggles to find sleep in the crowded home he shares with his sister’s family. As exhaustion takes its toll, he turns to unhealthy coping mechanisms, straining family relationships and pushing himself to the brink.

THE NAB IFFM AWARDS – Palais Theatre, 630PM for 7PM

15 women filmmakers, 17 women led films and narratives, 6 queer stories and works spanning 9 languages have been nominated for this year’s star studded IFFM Awards event at Palais Theatre with many of the nominees in attendance. The nominees reaffirm IFFM’s position as one of the world’s most inclusive and representative platforms for Indian and South Asian screen content. Together, the nominated films represent 9 languages, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, English and Nepalese, showcasing the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of contemporary Indian and South Asian cinema.

Festival Guests

IFFM is honoured to welcome Rani Mukerji as this year’s official Chief Guest. During her visit Rani Mukerji will be conferred the prestigious Honorary Doctor of Letters by Latrobe University at a special ceremony at Federation Square on 14 August. At 3PM at The Edge, Fed Square Rani will be In Conversation.

With a career spanning nearly three decades, Rani Mukerji remains one of India’s most respected and accomplished actors. Through powerful performances in films such as Black, No One Killed Jessica, Hichki, the Mardaani franchise and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, she has consistently championed stories that have brought conversations around women’s rights, gender justice, disability inclusion and social change into mainstream cinema. Beyond her work on screen, Rani has supported humanitarian initiatives focused on children’s healthcare, education and community development, a reflection of her commitment to meaningful social impact.

This year’s special star guests are Pankaj Tripathi, Kirti Kulhari, Malaika Arora and Rishab Shetty. Also attending the Festival and having their films screened are:

Vikram Phadnis, Director of Pal Bhar ke Liye | Hindi | World premiere
– Kaizad Gustad, Director and the film’s stars Suruj Rajkhowa and Veer Singh, of Lala and Poppy | Hindi | International premiere |
Lala & Poppy, is about two trans individuals, who fall in love while going through their respective gender transitions. Lala & Poppy will be screened at Village Crown on Saturday 15th August, at 7:30PM.
Sulagna Chatterjee director of OLAKH (Identity)| Hindi | World Premiere
Manas Shashidharan Jacob director of The Audition Hindi, English, Marwari, , Marathi | Australia premiere

Special Events

Flag Hoisting Ceremony – Federation Square – Saturday 15th August, 1030AM for 11AM

A cherished IFFM tradition marking India’s Independence Day, the annual Flag Hoisting Ceremony will take place at Federation Square. This highly anticipated event brings together film fans, families and the broader community to celebrate Indian culture and cinema with music, dance and national pride.

Remitly IFFM Dance Competition, 12PM

Immediately following the flag hoisting, Federation Square will erupt into colour and movement with the Remitly IFFM Dance Competition – a high-energy public event that celebrates choreography, creativity and cultural fusion. The dance competition will be judged by the incredible Malaika Arora.

IFFM x MQFF Pride Day – 21st August

Co-hosted with the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, the pride day screenings are dedicated to amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices in Indian cinema. Films will include short film Pakka (English, Dutch, Tamil | 18 mins) and Queering India (Hindi, Marathi, English | 60 mins), an impactful documentary that explores LGBTIQA+ lives across India, highlighting themes of identity, resilience, and the fight for visibility. Directed by Lakhindan Boruah and Swapnesh Dubey.

Cinema From The Margins – 22nd August, 2PM – 3PM

A special highlight of this year’s Festival is a program of indigenous films, curated by Meenakshi Shedde (Toronto FF Berlin International FF). This will be accompanied by a special panel Cinema From The Margins with Tiriki Onus and Theja Rio exploring “What does it mean to tell stories that have long been excluded from the historical record?” The panel is being graciously hosted by IFFM friends at The Wheeler Centre.

3AW Regional Rhapsody – 22nd & 23rd August

IFFM takes a curated selection of program highlights to regional Victoria, with screenings in Geelong, Bendigo and Shepparton – expanding access to Indian cinema and connecting communities across the state.

Program Highlights

With more than 130 films in 38 languages screening in 2026, this year’s program spans debut features, award-winners, regional gems and urgent contemporary stories. Highlights include:

THE GREAT SHAMSUDDIN FAMILY (Hindi), directed by Anusha Rizvi. – A delightful comedy drama that explores family chaos and personal deadlines over a single day.
PANKHUDIYAAN (Petals in The Wind) (Hindi) Raj and Shobha, newly married through an arranged match, travel to Goa for their honeymoon. Director Abdul Aziz will be at the Festival for the World Premiere of his film.
PAP BUKA (Tok Pisin, Hindi, English, Bengali) On a quest to uncover the forgotten stories of Indian soldiers in Papua New Guinea during World War II, two Indian historians, guided by a wise, aging war hero from a village on the Kokoda Track, embark on a journey of untold histories, personal awakening, and the haunting echoes of war.
SECRET OF A MOUNTAIN SERPENT (Hindi), a lyrical exploration of female desire set in the Himalayan foothills, which screened at Venice and Toronto Film Festivals.
KIDHI GAAY (If On A Winter’s Night) (Malayalam) – Set against Delhi’s unforgiving winter, a young couple search for a place to call home. Director Sanju Surendran captures the city through migrant eyes, and proves that ordinary lives make for compelling cinema.
KIKRAN DE PHULL (Flowers of Acacia) (Punjabi) Inspired by a true story, Flowers of Acacia follows wedding orchestra dancers whose dreams collide with the harsh realities of patriarchy and misogyny. Director Anmol Sidhu will be in Melbourne for. Q&A following the screening.