Pune, 17 December 2025: The 24th edition of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) will be held from January 15 to 22, 2026, organisers announced on Tuesday. The festival is jointly organised by the Pune Film Foundation, the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, Mumbai.
This year’s festival theme marks the birth centenary of legendary filmmaker, actor and producer Guru Dutt. Around 140 films from different countries will be screened across various sections of the festival.
The announcement was made at a press conference by PIFF Director and senior filmmaker Dr Jabbar Patel, in the presence of Pune Film Foundation trustees Satish Alekar and Sabina Sanghvi, selection committee chairperson Samar Nakhate, members Abhijit Randive, Deputy Director Vishal Shinde, and Aditi Akkalkotkar.
Screenings will take place across 10 screens in the city, six screens at PVR Pavilion Mall on Senapati Bapat Road, three screens at E-Square on Savitribai Phule Pune University Road, and one screen at the National Film Archive of India on Law College Road.
Online delegate registration has begun on www.piffindia.com, while on-ground registration will be available at all screening venues from January 5, between 11 am and 7 pm. The registration fee is ₹800.
The festival will open with “La Grazia”, directed by Paolo Sorrentino, and conclude with Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
For the international competition section, over 900 films from 103 countries were submitted, of which 14 films have been shortlisted for the final round.
An international jury will evaluate the competing films. The winner will receive the Maharashtra Government’s Sant Tukaram Best International Film Award, carrying a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.
Addressing concerns about the municipal election voting scheduled on January 15, Dr Patel said the festival would not be affected. He expressed confidence that citizens would vote early in the day and attend the festival’s opening ceremony in the evening.
