The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) has wrapped up its landmark 2026 edition with a grand finale across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, reaffirming its position as the world’s largest celebration of Indian cinema outside India and one of the most significant international platforms for Indian films today.
The festival’s top honours went to Jeejivisha Kale’s acclaimed Marathi drama Tighee (Motherhood) (Best Indie Feature), Ankur Arun Kakatkar’s Mumbai-set love story Courage (Best International Indie Feature), Chintan Kamlesh Parekh’s world-premiere documentary Gottipua: Beyond Borders (Best Documentary), and Beybaar and Vishal Tiwari’s Khwabeeda (Best Short Film, courtesy Pocket Films).
In a connection that lies at the heart of NIFFA’s mission, the producers of both winning feature films are graduates of Australian film schools, part of a growing generation of screen professionals trained in Australia—like the renowned Vanga Reddy—who are now shaping independent Indian cinema.
With Anubhav Sinha and Leena Yadav receiving NIFFA’s Nishtha Awards in person , veteran trade analyst Komal Nahata in Australia for Vimarsh Samman.
The festival finale also emerged as an important forum for discussions on the future of India–Australia screen collaboration and the opportunities created by the co-production treaty, a pathway of increasing relevance for Indian producers. Earlier in the festival Anupam Kher was honoured with the Indian International Cinema Icon Award.
Spanning more than 13 cities, showcasing over 39 films in 15 Indian languages, and featuring more than 200 screenings, red carpets, workshops, masterclasses and special presentations, NIFFA 2026 made history by taking Indian cinema across Australia’s major capitals, regional centres and the outback in a way no Indian film platform in the country has done before.
Festival Director Anupam Sharma said, “In a short time, NIFFA has become something much bigger—a national platform where cinema, culture, community and commerce between India and Australia meet in real time. This is especially important in the current environment, where anti-immigration and pro-monocultural narratives are increasingly being promoted.”
“Festivals such as NIFFA play an important role in connecting communities, celebrating cultural exchange and showcasing the power of storytelling to bring people together. We are delighted to host a festival that strengthens the cultural and creative ties between Australia and India,” said Hon. John-Paul Langbroek MP, State Member for Surfers Paradise, Queensland.
In a major announcement for the festival’s future, New South Wales has been named NIFFA’s focus state for 2027.
NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism and Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, said: “NIFFA has grown into the largest national celebration of Indian cinema outside India, so we’re thrilled NSW has been named focus state for 2027.”
The 2026 edition drew unprecedented institutional support from both sides of the Indian Ocean. In Australia, backing came from Screen Queensland, Screen NSW, the City of Perth, Creative Industries WA and the City of Brisbane, along with prestigious and long-established Indian community organisations across the country. The festival also secured a three-year commitment from Destination NSW and a two-year commitment from the Northern Territory Government through Tourism and Events NT and Screen Territory, while regional partners such as RADO in Broken Hill and the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs helped take the festival historic steps in the outback.
The festival was also supported by NFDC, ICCR, and India’s diplomatic missions across Australia. This two-way endorsement underscores NIFFA’s standing as a genuine bridge between the Indian and Australian screen industries, rather than merely a diaspora-focused event.