🎬 18th IDSFFK 2026 Trivandrum International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala
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From September 25 to 30, IDSFFK 2026 Trivandrum will bring together documentary, short-form and experimental cinema from India and around the world. 🎬
The 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) is organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. The confirmed dates for the 2026 edition are September 25–30. Unlike Kerala's larger IFFK in December, IDSFFK focuses primarily on documentaries, short fiction and alternative forms of filmmaking. The festival is designed not only as a screening platform but also as a space where filmmakers and audiences can meet, discuss and debate contemporary cinema.
🎥 What to Expect
The current official festival programme includes categories such as:
🎞 Long Documentary 🎞 Short Documentary 🎭 Short Fiction 🎓 Campus Films 🌍 International Fiction & Non-Fiction 🎨 Animation 🎵 Music Video 🌴 Malayalam non-competition sections 🎬 curated and special programmes.
The festival format also includes interactions and sessions with film and media professionals.
🎵 Music Video Official Selection Announced
The organisers have already started revealing selections for the 18th edition.
The published Music Video Official Selection includes:
Frangipani: The Short Film - Dir. Marun / Tamil
Mihira / Mihira: An Ode to the Breath of Life - Dir. Shruthi Sharanyam / Malayalam
Sattayila Button Illa - Dir. Acharya Devadeth / Tamil
Beeba - Dir. Anhad Singh Sodhi / No Dialogue
It is a good reminder that IDSFFK extends well beyond traditional documentary cinema and includes different forms of contemporary visual storytelling.
🎬 About IDSFFK
IDSFFK has developed into an important platform for documentary and short filmmaking in India. The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy describes the festival as part of its effort to encourage a vibrant documentary and short-film movement and to give space to diverse voices, experimentation and socially engaged filmmaking.
For visitors, that makes the festival particularly interesting if you want to explore Indian cinema beyond mainstream commercial releases. 📅 September 25–30, 2026
📍 Thiruvananthapuram / Trivandrum (разные площадки в городе)
🎬 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala
The full screening schedule, individual venues and visitor arrangements have not yet been published. The official Visitor Portal is already live and is expected to carry the films, venues and screening schedule as they are finalised.
💡 Our Tip
If you enjoy independent cinema, save the dates now and choose your screenings once the full schedule appears. With six festival days, IDSFFK is ideal for building your own mini film marathon - particularly around the documentary competitions and international selections.
We will update this listing when the venues, screening times and visitor registration are announced.
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