22nd Pune International Film Festival: More Than 140 Films From 51 Countries To Be Screened

The 22nd edition of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), a collaborative effort between the Pune Film Foundation and the Government of Maharashtra, is scheduled to kick off on January 18 and conclude on January 25, announced the festival's director, Dr Jabbar Patel, during a press conference.

Over 140 films from 51 countries will grace the festival's screens, with this year's theme being 'Cinema is a hope.' The unveiling of the theme's symbol marked the occasion.

Spread across 11 screens, films will be showcased at PVR Icon (six screens) in Pavilion Mall on Senapati Bapat Road, Inox (three screens) in Camp, and Cinepolis Cinema (two screens) at Westend Mall in Aundh.

Registration for the festival commenced on Friday, December 23, via the official website www.piffindia.com, with spot registrations at theatres beginning on January 5. The festival registration fee is ₹800 per person for access to the entire event.

Film submissions for PIFF opened in July and closed on October 30. Festival guidelines stipulate that submitted films must run for a minimum of 70 minutes and be produced between January 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. Additionally, films must possess appropriate censorship visas/certificates from their country of origin. Entries in dubbed or remade versions are ineligible, requiring all submissions to be in English or have English subtitles for consideration.

PIFF offers diverse categories such as World Competition, Marathi Competition, Global Cinema, Country Focus, and Retrospective, ensuring a rich variety of films from diverse cultural backgrounds. The Best International Film award carries a cash prize of ₹10 lakh from the Maharashtra government, while the Best International Film Director receives ₹5 lakh.