Pranav Birje | The News Bulletins
The 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival, regarded as a benchmark of film culture in Maharashtra, will be held from January 9 to January 15, 2026, in Mumbai and Thane. The seven-day festival will feature a rich selection of Asian and Indian cinema, with 56 films curated for this year’s edition.
The selected films will be screened at the Pu. La. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy Mini Theatre, Prabhadevi, and Cinépolis at Lake Shore Mall, Thane. The festival will open with the screening of the Indonesian film On Your Lap (Pangku), which won the FIPRESCI Jury Award at the Busan International Film Festival.
Speaking about the festival, Kiran V. Shantaram, President of the Asian Film Foundation, said,
“We are extremely proud to be organizing the 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival. Over the last twenty-two years, the festival has played an important role in bringing outstanding Asian and Indian films to audiences across Maharashtra. This year is especially meaningful for us, as we will be screening the timeless films of my father, Dr. V. Shantaram, on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary.”
The Third Eye Asian Film Festival has been organized by the Asian Film Foundation since 2002, with the aim of making internationally acclaimed films accessible to audiences in Mumbai and other cities of Maharashtra. For the past twenty-two years, the festival has been consistently held in Mumbai and Thane.
Festival Director Dr. Santosh Pathare shared details about this year’s programming, saying,
“Through a curated selection of 56 films, we aim to offer audiences a diverse and enriching cinematic experience. A special section focusing on films from Kyrgyzstan, competitive sections for Marathi and Indian films, and screenings of internationally award-winning films will make this festival a true celebration for cinema lovers.”
Along with Asian films, competition sections for Indian and Marathi cinema will be a major attraction of the festival. The Marathi competition section will showcase eleven Marathi films: April May 99, Sangala, Gaman, Giran, Gondhal, Kimidin, Nirjali, Prism, Sabar Bond, Sohala, and Uttar.
Expressing his happiness, Kshitij Patwardhan, director of Uttar, said,
“I am happy that my film Uttar will be screened at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival. Including Marathi films in the competition section and presenting them alongside international-standard films is an important opportunity for Marathi cinema. Such platforms encourage and support new filmmakers.”
The Indian competition section will feature twelve films in languages such as Assamese, Kannada, Manipuri, Malayalam, Bengali, and Nepali. The Asian Spectrum section will include films from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Iran, the Philippines, and Thailand. This year’s Country Focus section will spotlight Kyrgyzstan, presenting selected films based on contemporary and traditional narratives from the country.
At the festival, renowned filmmaker Sai Paranjpye will be honoured with the Asian Film Culture Award, while filmmaker Uma da Cunha will receive the Satyajit Ray Memorial Award. In memory of the late Sudhir Nandgaonkar, a special award for film writing will be presented to film critic and curator Meenakshi Shedde.
To mark the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. V. Shantaram, the festival will also screen some of his iconic films, including Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani, Kunku, and Navrang. In addition to film screenings, the festival will host open forums with eminent jury members and masterclasses with directors and technicians.
Delegate registration for the festival has now begun on the official website:
https://www.thirdeyeasianfilmfestival.com/