The 12th edition of the Jagran Film Festival begins

New Delhi: An initiative by Jagran Prakashan Group, the Jagran Film Festival is inaugurated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, in the nation’s capital, New Delhi, at the Siri Fort Auditorium.

From a pool of 4,787 submissions, 292 films, Features, Shorts and documentaries were selected, representing 78 languages and showcasing the diversity from 111 countries.

The festival traverses 11 states over 100 days. This season, the Jagran Film Festival is travelling to 18 cities, beginning with its opening in Delhi and moving through major locations such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Raipur, Ranchi, Indore, Siliguri, Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Patna, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Hissar, and Darbhanga, before concluding with a grand finale in Mumbai. 

This itinerary ensures that cinema reaches audiences across diverse demographics, solidifying the festival’s legacy of making quality cinema accessible to all. 

The festival promises a cinematic experience in Delhi, graced by personalities such as Pankaj Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Bhumi Pednekar, Taapsee Pannu, Mukesh Chhabra, Bhuvan Bam, Rajpal Yadav, Rahul Rawail, Rajat Kapoor, Sudhir Mishra. Directors including Anil Prakash Joshi, Aaditri Dipika, Onir, and Hari K Sudan will also lend their presence. 

This edition features a lineup of 102 films spanning Indian and international origins, covering short films, documentaries, and OTT content from 29 countries in 34 languages.

This event will unite a lineup of actors, directors, influencers, and writers to participate in a series of talk shows. Rajnigandha Achiever Talks, featuring actor Pankaj Kapur, whose Retrospective is being celebrated in this season of the festival, celebrated for his transformative performances that have defined Indian cinema. 

Another session will spotlight Manoj Bajpayee, renowned for his intense method of acting and acclaimed roles, including his success in The Family Man and his latest film Despatch in the Indian Showcase category. 

Another highlight would be a Master Class and chat session for a discussion on topics such as the evolving "Grammar of Cinema" in modern filmmaking led by Keval Arora, Mohit Tripathi, and Anasuya Vidya moderated by Samdish Bhatia, followed by "Cracking the Code to Being Cast in Big Films: The Next Breakout Face," a session led by Mukesh Chhabra.

It will also feature panel discussions, including a conversation with filmmakers Rahul Rawail and Sudhir Mishra. Alongside celebrating Good Cinema for Everyone, these discussions will provide insights and engaging conversation with the media fraternity and movie buffs alike. 

Basant Rathore, Senior Vice-President- Jagran Prakashan, shared, “The Jagran Film Festival (JFF) has cemented its place as a cherished platform for movie buffs, cine professionals, fraternity, the theatre industry, and aspiring actors, writers, cinemagoers, celebrating the transformative power of cinema to inspire and connect audiences. Renowned as the world’s largest travelling film festival, JFF has become synonymous with its theme, Good Cinema for Everyone, taking world-class cinema from major cities like Delhi and Mumbai to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India. This season, we are excited to kick off the festival in Delhi from December 5th to 8th at Siri Fort Auditorium, featuring 102 remarkable films across 34 languages and 29 countries. As a flagship initiative of the Jagran Prakashan Group, this festival represents our unwavering commitment to making quality cinema accessible to all, while fostering meaningful conversations about the art and craft of storytelling.”