27th Madurai Film Festival : International Short Fiction

27th MIDSFF 2025, Madurai
Category – International Short Fiction

1. Monologue
Dir: Danae MOSSMAN; 13:25 min; Short fiction; New Zealand
Mary has been ejected from her affluent marriage and stripped of her role as mother.
Home alone on New Year’s Eve in the elegant apartment to which she has been exiled,
her mind whirs, the psychic rubble of her privileged life threatens to overwhelm her.
Tomorrow she will meet with her husband to discuss the terms of their unfolding divorce
and the custody of their son – a battle that he is destined to win. Freely adapted from
Simone de Beauvoir's novella Monologue (1968)

2. El susurro
Dir: Alejo Rosemberg; 13:00 min; Short Fiction; Argentina
Sofia is a young woman of almost 30 years old, she is in a relationship with Tomás and
they have a little son.
They go to the cinema together, in one of those almost obligatory outings, to try to revive
some space of intimacy but the sound of a message on Sofia's phone interrupts the
fusion reminding them that it is no longer possible and they both know it.

3. Fiabexit
Dir: Lorenzo Giovenga, Giuliano Giacomelli; 19:53 min; Short Fiction; Italy
We too have the right to dream

4. A Shared Table
Dir: Vince Li; 17:23 min; Short Fiction; United States
A western mom who expects her son to return home realizes that he is not what she’d
hoped for and comes to accept her son's Chinese acupuncturist girlfriend during a
Thanksgiving visit in NYC.

5. Motya
Dir: Artem Chuba; 18:08 min; Short Fiction; Russian Federation
During the pandemic and self-isolation, Motya, a harsh woman with a difficult character,
finds it more and more difficult to put up with her artist husband Vanya, a misfit to daily
life. He just had Covid but Motya sends him outside in attempt to encourage him to do
something. Perhaps the epidemic will give Vanya a chance to find his place in life.

6. The First Lesson
Dir: Maksim Bobkov; 7:55 min; Short Fiction; Russian Federation
After burying his beloved cat, first-grader Yefim decides to avenge his death on a
shepherd named Darwin, but a disarming force stands in the way of the avenger.

7. Let there be light !
Dir: Akiko Okumura; 14:57 min; Short Fiction; France
In an art gallery, a young woman discovers a painting by an unknown artist depicting her
own naked corpse—grotesque yet beautifully rendered. As she tries to communicate with
the other visitors, no one seems to notice how strange the situation is.
8. A Small Favor
Dir: Bijoyeta Sahoriya Das; 14:00 min; Short Fiction; United States

9. Run River!
Dir: Anastasiia Ostapenko; 11:59 min; Short Fiction; Russian Federation
A young girl accidentally meets her father on the street, whom she has not seen for 10
years. After a series of doubts, the girl decides not only to meet the past eye-to-eye, but
also to try to get back her dog, which her father took with him when he left the family.
10. The Apple Picker's Son.

Dir: Yang Zimik; 16:30 min; Short Fiction; India, United States
A 10-year-old Kashmiri boy with supernatural powers finds out his father is leaving for
the apple harvest near the dangerous India-Pakistan border. Fearing for his father’s life,
Afaaq must use his newfound powers to keep his family together.

11. An Extraordinary Love Letter
Dir: Sachin Kumar Enganati; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; Luxembourg

12. Driving Lessons
Dir: Anastasiya Gruba; 17:48 min; Short Fiction; Ukraine
Wartime Kyiv, Ukraine. A father helps his daughter to practice driving. They are the only
relatives to each other and have a strong connection, but many disagreements in their
opinions. The driving lesson ceases to be ordinary when the father is issued a summons
at a checkpoint.

27th Madurai Int Doc & Short Film Festival 20025 : Indian Short Fiction

27th Madurai International Documentary Short Film Festival 2025

6-10 December, multiple veneus, Madurai 

Organised by MARUPAKKAM 

Category – Indian Short Fiction

The Daily Bread (Girrda)
Dir: Anil Kumar Anand; 19:59 min; Short fiction; India
In a Kashmir village, Mainmuna (30) and her husband Ziya run a bakery, struggling to survive. Mocked for his torn pheran, Ziya asks Mainmuna for a new one after securing a bread order for her friend’s engagement. She sews one herself, but it turns out shorter. At the event, men tease Ziya, causing them to leave angrily. Later, Mainmuna faces a crisis when her ex-husband, Wazeer (40), presumed dead for 3 years, returns, demanding money or her return, threatening her life with Ziya (25).

Koli
Dir: Jyotirmoy Mazumdar; 14:20 min; Short fiction; India
Koli is a film that explores the consequences of deception and the importance of honesty within a family. Niyor, a fifth grade student, weaves a web of lies to hide his disappointing grades from his family. This web of lies and deceit grows to cause emotional distress for his younger brother. As the truth begins to surface, the film delves into the parent's reactions and the impact on their relationships, revealing a touching story about truth, trust and family dynamics.

Flower From The Sky
Dir: Jayshankar Ramu; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; India
Confined to a wheelchair, Girija forms a quiet, profound bond with fellow resident Nitin at a Pune old age home. Their growing closeness unsettles both their families and the authorities. Flower From the Sky is a tender Marathi short film about love that defies judgement, age, and the ordinary.

The Show Man
Dir: Balajee S R; 7:35 min; Short Fiction; India
Stranded en route to a film festival, cynical Junior and the inscrutable Senior encounter the Stranger spinning a dramatic tale of woe. While Junior sees an obvious con, Senior sees the veil and its beauty. "The Show Man" delves into the ambiguous lines between performance, reality, and perception in the most unexpected of scenery, unravelling between highly conflicted characters.

Every Bullet's Account
Dir: Ravish Pathan; 14:00 min; Short Fiction; India
In a rain-soaked night, a weary detective and a sharp forensic doctor unravel a triple high-profile murder, all killed in the same instant. But as bullet holes reveal a rare weapon, suspicion turns inward. Loyalties blur, truth bleeds into silence, and every bullet demands its reckoning in a system built to forget.

Four Long Faces
Dir: Alok Paswan; 20:00 min; Short Fiction; India
A quiet morning gives rise to a cyclical story of letdowns. Four lives—a flower seller, a heartbroken man, a petty thief, and a weary boat man—intertwine in the undercurrent of chaos, longing and loss. Their lives, though strangers to one another, are unknowingly bound by flowers.

Knot
Dir: Abhay Parveen Gupta; 14:30 min; Short Fiction; India
Manish, a 6-year-old boy struggles to adapt to his mother’s absence from his life. His mother has been dead for weeks and the family can’t gather the courage to explain the real meaning of death to the little kid. Manish, however, is a strong-willed boy who believes his mother will return if he sets out to correct all the past mischiefs he has committed. He can’t open up to his father Siddharth, who is unaware of Manish’s endeavours and is grieving over the demise of his wife. Manish pins all his hopes on a secret magic trick – that he has learnt from his friend. With both father and son struggling with their respective loss, the only way the family can come together again is if the magic trick works. But, will it?

Compassion
Dir: Rohan Sajjansinh Rathod, Sahaj Surendra Sevak; 17:52 min; Short Fiction; India
A lonely old watchman, haunted by abandonment, finds unexpected purpose in rescuing a neglected and aggressive puppy from breed-specific regulations, leading them both on a journey to confront their shared past and discover the meaning of belonging.

THE FIRST FILM
Dir: Piyush Thakur; 19:59 min; Short Fiction; India
In a small town of 1960's India, where cinema is forbidden for women, a 14-year-old embarks on a quest to watch her first film.

GULAAM (SLAVE)
Dir: Saurabh Nandakishor Kolekar; 13:03 min; Short Fiction; India
A few days after a heart-wrenching caste crime, an upper caste man and a grieving tribal fight over a cigarette at a secluded shop in a desolate mountain pass of rural India. As the fight quickly escalates the shopkeeper fears for the worst and takes extreme measures to protect himself.

Ilish
Dir: Himjyoti Talukdar; 14:23 min; Short Fiction; India
A family's joyful dinner of Ilish fish, carefully prepared takes an unexpected turn when an uninvited guest disrupts their evening, bringing unforeseen trouble.

Por Paravaigal / War Birds
Dir: Subash Bharathi; 14:54 min; Short Fiction; India
Not a story of war-dwelling vultures. This is the story of birds who fell due to war.
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”

Dark Circles
Dir: Prabal Chakraborty; 9:59 min; Short Fiction; India
As a woman gets stranded on a highway at middle of the night, she faces a dilemma to go back to a known shelter where she got physically manhandled or face the consequences to be with a group of unknown miscreants who are lustfully ready to tear her apart

Riverbed of dried petals
Dir: Kalash Jain; 12:30 min; Short Fiction; India
In the near future solutions of rekindling love, a couple grapples with the idea of erasing their most intimate memories to reignite their fading connection. Despite being physically present with each other, they are consumed by a deep longing - a void that neither time nor proximity seems to fill.

Desire
Dir: Sameer Talawdekar; 15:00 min; Short Fiction; India
Arvind, 15, seeks a new pair of sandals, toiling at a construction site. Battling adversity, he maintains his moral compass and resists temptation. However, his unwavering efforts prove futile when life double-crosses him.

27th Madurai Film Festival 2025 : Selected International Documentaries

27th Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2025

6-10 December, multiple venues, Madurai

Category – International Documentary

Metacíclica
Dir: Lydia Zimmermann; 17:56 min; Documentary; Spain
METACYCLICAL is a neologism for six actresses who are beyond the rules. Despite their experience, no one offers them leading roles.

Cherkashins. Performance of Perestroika
Dir: Vladimir Sumashedov; 32:06 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
A film about the work of famous performance artists Valera and Natasha Cherkashin. The story centers on the performances they held in the 90s at the Ploshchad Revolyutsii Moscow metro station.

Like a Novel (Roman Gibi)
Dir: TAYFUN BELET; 1:02:38 min; Documentary; Turkey
Starting their life of love and struggle in Thessaloniki, Sabiha and Zekeriya Sertel were two journalists who fought for freedom during Turkey’s turbulent times. After Sabiha’s death, her family kept her existence a secret. Her niece, Nur Deriş, discovers Sabiha’s story through the book Like a Novel. Like a Novel is a poignant journey tracing a silenced generation and a denied era.

GEOMETRY OF RETURN
Dir: Nataliya Bek-Gergard; 8:53 min; Documentary; Canada, Ukraine
In a time when war shows no sign of ending and her town by the sea remains occupied, Svitlana realizes she may never return home. Holding onto happy memories, she finds a quiet thread to healing that ties together all she’s lost and still longs for.

Hot Mess Express
Dir: Chao Niu; 16:00 min; Documentary; China
Between the sweeping away of the old year and the tentative steps of the new, a square dancing audition was held in a small town in the Northeastern Province for the upcoming Spring Festival. A crowd of senior dancers took the stage.

Among them was Lao Gu, 65 years old, a woman constantly belittled by her husband but firmly convinced that her dancing skills were of the finest quality—charming enough to lure birds from the trees. 

Momento
Dir: Gregor Hutz; 25:55 min; Documentary; Germany, Italy
Momento is the portrait of Italian painter and illustrator Emanuele Taglietti, a master craftsman whose lifelong dedication to the art of painting began as a boy under the guidance of his father. Trained over nearly 80 years — in museums, academies, on film sets, and as a pulp cover artist — Maestro Taglietti embodies a tradition of hand-painted image-making now facing extinction.

Emergency
Dir: Olivier Laval; 1:18:05 min; Documentary; Belgium
In the fall of 2019, faced with increasingly insistent protests from healthcare workers, four comedians from the Belgian theater scene embarked on the creation of a documentary piece dedicated to the world of healthcare.

Encountering Hate
Dir: Lalit Vachani; 48:00 min; Documentary; Germany, India
Revolving around three case studies of hate crime in North India, the film follows human rights lawyer Akram Akhtar Choudhary as he provides legal help to his clients - victims of mob lynchings, vigilante violence and police encounter killings.

Amad's Dream
Dir: Aashish Kiphayet; 9:30 min; Documentary; United States
Amad Mahbub is a Bangladeshi woman who left Bangladesh to escape social oppression and pursue education in neuroscience in the United States. The documentary tells the story of her resilience and transformation, as well as her connection to Henna and Kathak dance, spirituality, and activism. Through henna art, she navigates her Bangladeshi identity and resists women's oppression. 

The Fine Line
Dir: Daniela Grigorenko; 25:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
The film explores the theme of bone marrow donation from two perspectives:
1. From the donor's side – helping others is neither difficult, nor painful, nor dangerous. 
2. From the recipient's side - there are people who are willing to give a helping hand for free to save the life of a complete stranger.

Time to Smile
Dir: Jonas Almeida Braga Amarante; 12:15 min; Documentary; Portugal
By observing the tourists who are part of the landscape of Belém, in Lisbon, reflections on colonialism, emigration, identity, and tourism are constructed.

CROSS THE OCEAN AND RETURN CHANGED
Dir: Natalia Kuznetsova; 1:00:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
3 oceans. 32 countries. 65,000 kilometers. Three and a half years ago, Siberians Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin embarked on a unique expedition, following the routes of Russian circumnavigators. The pandemic, closed borders, shipwrecks, evading pirates, shark attacks—these are just a few of the challenges our heroes faced during their journey. 

Jar of Time
Dir: Nevena Semova; 27:25 min; Documentary; Bulgaria
One of the last nomadic Pomaks in Bulgaria search for the finest grazing fields for their cows and sell milk to support themselves. Even though dairy production regulations have made their livelihood illegal, the couple is dedicated to preserving their freedom.

Tetsuyo Turned 104, Living On Her Own
Dir: Kazuhiro Yamamoto; 1:34:04 min; Documentary; Japan
In a house nestled in the lush mountains of Onomichi, lives 100-year-old Tetsuyo Ishii, who lives alone. In her younger days, she worked as an elementary school teacher. After losing her husband at the age of 83, she has been living with the support of her niece and neighbors. 

We'll Carry On Alright
Dir: Megan Rossman; 11:52 min; Documentary
This film focuses on the friendship between Mabel Hampton, an African American, lesbian, and activist, and Joan Nestle, a white, lesbian and Jewish professor who is 40 years her junior. Ms. Hampton cared for Joan as a child, and roles reversed when Joan cared for Ms. Hampton at the end of her life.

Bitter Honey
Dir: Julia Andreevna Makarova; 26:32 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
After their father passes away, the Skuratov sisters try to preserve the family business - the bee apiary. But it is not so easy to let go of the experience of loss after the recent passing of a loved one.

Best Day Ever
Dir: Ben Knight, Berne Broudy; 47:56 min; Documentary; United States
Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities and embrace the tremendous support, friendship and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community. 

Baghdad Graphic
Dir: D.K. Odessa; 15:00 min; Documentary; Iraq
Based on fragments from a never finished graphic novel, Baghdad Graphic presents an unflinching account of an Iraqi journalist and his desperate effort to survive the invasion of his country. An intensely personal portrait of the costs of war.

Analogue Natives
Dir: Bernd Lützeler; 25:33 min; Documentary; Germany; India
In 2010, a 106-year-old dilapidated residential building is on the verge of collapsing in Mumbai. Three years later Bollywood undergoes a rapid transition from celluloid to digital, and almost all film laboratories close down forever. From morning to nighttime, MM Mithaiwala, an iconic sweets and snacks joint opposite a crowded suburban railway station in Mumbai. In the early morning hours, while shooting for a soap opera at the Film City complex in the north of Mumbai, two hundred technicians, actors and production workers become witness of a leopard entering their set from the nearby national park. An expanded multi-genre documentary within the constraints of the so-called Masala Formula, popularly known from Indian cinema.

I Am Alex
Dir: David Gough; 43:43 min; Documentary; South Africa, United Kingdom
“I Am Alex” follows journalist David as he returns to South Africa’s Alexandra township to explore the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS. Through the stories of activists Lebo and Charles, who lead grassroots efforts to fight stigma and support treatment, the film reveals how love, compassion, and community are essential in healing.

Generations of Images
Dir: Johannes Gierlinger; 1:42:15 min; Documentary; Albania, Austria
GENERATIONS OF IMAGES embarks on a search for traces through the profound transformation processes of Albanian history. In the archives, forgotten places, and memories of different generations, ruptures and continuities become visible, left behind by the transition from communist dictatorship to capitalist democracy. 

Notre Paradis De Plastique I Our Plastic Paradise
Dir: Johann Vorster; 10:56 min; Documentary; South Africa
Set in the remote fishing village of Setté Cama in rural Gabon, Plastic Paradise follows Jean-François Fisher , operator of Setté Cama Adventure Fishing. With stunning beaches, rich biodiversity, and a fragile dependence on eco-tourism, the village is a place of natural beauty and cultural resilience. But as vast quantities of plastic waste wash ashore, this delicate balance is thrown into crisis.

THE LION AND THE BOY
Dir: Natalya Lobko; 51:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
Sasha, a disabled boy with fused fingers, lay in an orphanage dreaming of playing the piano with an orchestra. Simba, an injured lion, was abandoned in a solitary cage at the animal shelter. He tremulously missed the owners who had given him away and longed to play alongside with someone again. Both were merely lonely and afraid. But one day, everything changed… How do fateful meetings transform lives? What challenges are truly insurmountable? Will the lion and the boy’s dreams come true?

Fools' Paradise (lost?)
Dir: Alexandra Lexton; 1:38:00 min; Documentary; United States
How do we heal ourselves through reconnection to the natural world? How do we heal what is left of the wild – our own inner wild and the outer wild? Immersed in experiences recounted by writers, filmmakers, artists, environmentalists, adventurers, therapists, and political activists, we delve into scientific inquiry around topics such as personal action, sustainable business and life practices, nature therapies and how we need and use nature to regenerate ourselves.

Words fail me if I try to tell you
Dir: 军 建 张; 1:17:08 min; Documentary; China
This film records the creative process of artist Zhang Jianjun from 2005 to 2024. From the flourishing of the art market to actively choosing marginalization, isolating oneself from the world, following cultural and aesthetic laws, and building new knowledge, art has not only achieved him, but also prompted him to re-examine the relationship between art and life.

Gingerbread for her dad
Dir: Alina Mustafina; 1:16:30 min; Documentary; Kazakhstan
85-year-old Lyabiba doesn’t remember her father, who died in World War II. At that time, along with the death notice, some Soviet soldiers’ widows were given 'consolation' gingerbread cookies for their children. The only memory Lyabiba has of her father is the time she joyfully shouted to the entire village during the years of hunger: 'My dad died, and we got gingerbread cookies!'

Me + You
Dir: Zohra Benhammou, Romy Mana; 1:25:15 min; Documentary; Belgium
Ana + Yek (Me + You) follows twin sisters Sanaa and Zohra. What begins as Zohra’s exploration of their Moroccan heritage gradually reveals the shifting dynamics of their relationship, as Sanaa’s deepening love for Islam becomes more apparent. The film unfolds as a journey of mutual understanding — a cinematic dialogue fueled by their desire to connect. An intimate portrait of sisterly love and independence.

Giovanni's Smyrna
Dir: Ragıp Taranç; 46:50 min; Documentary; Turkey
“Giovanni's Smyrna” is an urban documentary focusing on the historical and cultural richness of Izmir. Told through the eyes of a flaneur named Giovanni, the documentary offers viewers the opportunity to explore the streets, architecture and culture of Smyrna. 

OLGA MICHI. AN ARTISTIC ODYSSEY.
Dir: Vladimir Sumashedov; 27:40 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
The documentary film tells the incredible and eventful creative journey of photographer and artist Olga Michi, as well as about the art group she founded, "GrOM." Olga Michi has traveled to the most remote corners of the world, constantly testing her limits: she lived with African tribes, searched for lost cities in the South American jungle, photographed great white sharks, and swam in a river teeming with crocodiles. However, at some point, she felt constrained by the framework of reportage photography; she wanted not just to reflect the world around her, but to create her own. Welcome to the world of Olga Michi!

Land of Dreams
Dir: Ambarien Alqadar; 40:00 min; Documentary; United States
Filmed for nearly a decade, Land of Dreams is an intimate portrait of Virender Rana, a taxi driver from India, chasing his dream of telling his story in America. While he points the camera at his own life and films a Bollywood style movie, the film follows his journey of coming to America, finding joy as part of a larger Sikh community and that of taxi drivers andlaying roots as an immigrant. 

A Happy Place
Dir: Siddhant Sarin; 21:43 min; Documentary; Belgium
Happy, an undocumented Indian immigrant works in a small corner shop in Brussels. He wakes up with a sense of hope to a solitary existence boxed into the four walls of the shop. While he tries to maintain harmony in the everyday rut, phone conversations in the night map the grim world of illegal Indian immigration. Though the fear of deportation looms heavy, Happy persists, so that he can reunite with his wife and child and provide them with a better life. 

27th Madurai Film Festival 2025 : Selected Indian Documentaries

27th Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2025

6-10 December, multiple venues, Madurai 

Organised by MARUPAKKAM

Selected films :

Category – Indian Documentary

See Me, When You Leave
Dir: Dipin Chenayil; 17:37 min; Documentary; India
Kerala, the southernmost state in India, with its lush landscapes, has seen many migrate abroad for work, creating local labor shortages filled by distant migrants. These workers endure isolation, discrimination and uncertainty, often overlooked beyond their labour. Yet, amid struggle, they forge bonds, share stories, and discover solace in fleeting joys.

In the Light of Time
Dir: Amogh Chauhan, Jahnavi Pradeep; 12:15 min; Documentary; India
Centered amidst prehistoric rock art sites along the Indus and Zanskar rivers, the film is a ‘love story’ between past, present and future. This archeological peculiarity in Ladakh is a segue into a time ‘before time’ that begs us to ask: How can artifacts of the past inform our need to create something that will outlast us?

Chains & Wheels
Dir: Jayshankar Ramu, Aryaki; 7:33 min; Documentary; India
The bicycles of Pune City talk.
They talk about their existence and their purpose.
The city, its chaotic traffic and its lacklustre infrastructure looms over them. In the motor-centric city plans; the working-class people of Pune and their bicycles look to reclaim their place on the roads. The people who seem to be a part of the urban transportation plans- but only on paper.
The bicycles of Pune City talk.
They talk of the labour class and revolutions.

One Foot In Front Of The Other
Dir: Basav Biradar; 01:01:46 min; Documentary; India
Four runners decide to run from Bengaluru to Chennai along the highway. The run is not an organised race event, nor is there a material reward at the end of it. The filmmaker follows the runners with his camera to understand their motivations, the physical and mental training, and their friendship.

Sathyappullu-The Magical Grass
Dir: Ramdas Kadavallur; 1:07:08 min; Documentary; India
The alarming unsavoury developments in the socio-political milieu of India in the recent years have dented the confidence of a multitude of Indians who cherish peace and camaraderie. A nation that always upheld secular and democratic values since independence, a large chunk of the people is deeply concerned about the recent attacks on these much cherished ideals! The documentary is a journey through the mindscape of a young women, who is earnestly longing for the true secularism and coexistence of different communities in India.

OUTCAST
Dir: PRINCE P PAPPCHEN; 1:08:05 min; Documentary; India
As part of a voluntary resettlement scheme, a man returns after ten years to a forest village in Wayanad that he had once lived in. The old village is now empty. The place has turned into a forest. This documentary is about remembering the life, the gods, and the people who once existed there.

Inside the forest stands a watchtower
Dir: Biswajit Das; 15:39 min; Documentary; India
An art collective builds a watchtower in a human elephant conflict zone in Assam. But they have never seen an elephant in that area.

Bow Barracks: Beyond the Red Bricks
Dir: Vaidyanath Nishant; 25:25 min; Documentary; India
The 300 year-old city of Kolkata is a place where colonial grandeur meets bustling modernity. But beyond the well-told tales of its food, architecture, and festivals lies a story often overlooked.

End of the Rope
Dir: Aravind Umapathy; 12:13 min; Documentary; India
End of the Rope tenderly portrays a grandson's bond with his grandmother in her final days, exploring love, caregiving, and the quiet acceptance of mortality.

A Brief Moment of Absence
Dir: Saikiran M D; 36:14 min; Documentary; India
“A Brief Moment of Absence” is an intimate travel documentary chronicling a student filmmaker’s solo bicycle journey from Ahmedabad to Wayanad over 62 days. As he rides through the rural heartlands of India's west coast - crossing unfamiliar terrain, navigating language barriers, and embracing the silence of being alone - this film captures more than just a physical journey. It's a personal rite of passage, a farewell to student life, and a bold attempt to reclaim time before adulthood closes in. With raw visuals, quiet introspection, and fleeting encounters, the film becomes a reflection on freedom, fear, and the in-between space we often ignore - the space just before we arrive home.

Seed Stories
Dir: Chitrangada Choudhury; 42:00 min; Documentary; India
In a village in the Niyamgiri mountains of the Eastern Ghats in Odisha, eastern India, a heroic effort is underway: barefoot ecologist Dr. Debal Deb and his 3 member-team are conserving over one thousand endangered heirloom varieties of rice, the world’s largest project of its kind. Odisha’s Eastern Ghats region is one of the world’s surviving biodiversity hotspots, with farmers and shifting cultivators, particularly from Adivasi (Indigenous) communities like the Kondhs possessing the knowledge of growing multiple crops with their own heirloom seeds, evolved over centuries. At the same time, the village and the wider region is irreversibly changing with the coming of genetically modified Bt and herbicide-tolerant cotton seeds and associated agrochemicals. 

HAPUSA - a truly Indian gin
Dir: Thomas Fitch; 13:43 min; Documentary; India
HAPUSA is a short documentary about India's first domestic gin distillery. The film follows Anand Virmani as he takes us through the beginnings of an idea, the hunt for juniper in India, and the creative process that lead to India’s first domestic award winning gin.

The City Under a Banyan tree
Dir: Soumyanshu Ghosh; 33:29 min; Documentary; India
" The city I grew up in was gone, under layers of constructed conveniences...This bothered me the most."
This documentary film set in the city of Vadodara is a personal observation of how the city changed over the years, from the point of view of someone who was fond of the the iconic public art sculptures across the city. The film delves into a study of how urban development (mainly the building of fly-overs), changed the city scape and displaced famous art pieces that had over time, become the identity of the city. The film also portrays how art itself was evolving along with the infrastructure for better or worse.

A Good Wife
Dir: Anuradha Bansal; 1:30:00 min; Documentary; India
A Good Wife’ is a deeply personal exploration of womanhood, marriage, and freedom within an Indian Marwari Hindu community. As the filmmaker navigates questioning the establishment of marriage in her own setup, she confronts the rigid ideals of a ‘virtuous wife’ imposed by family and tradition. Through intimate filmmaking, she challenges these expectations, exposing contradictions and seeking personal liberation. This film is her attempt to reclaim agency, question inherited beliefs, and spark dialogue on autonomy and identity.

Blurred Boundaries : The Mishmi and the Forest
Dir: Imrana Khan; 13:18 min; Documentary; India
“Blurred Boundaries: The Mishmi and the Forests” is a documentary by Dusty Foot Productions for WCS-India and the Kamlang Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, exploring the deep connection between the Mishmi people, the forests, and the tigers they revere as kin. The film showcases how tradition and respect for nature can drive meaningful conservation.

The Night That Forgot to End
Dir: Biswajit Das, Surbhi Dewan, Farha Khatun, Nundrisha Wakhloo, Rustam Mazumdar; 22:27 min; Documentary; India
The anthology film brings together five filmmakers exploring a single theme—fear. Through distinct yet interconnected films, each artist uses their lens to interpret fear in a unique voice, contributing to a cohesive narrative that is both personal and collective.

Molai - Man behind the forest
Dir: Dhiraj Kashyap; 20:00 min; Documentary; India
Molai, also known as Jadav Payeng, is a committed environmental and forest activist and wildlife enthusiast from Kokilamukh in Jorhat, Assam. Over several decades, he has planted and tended for trees on the sandbar islet of Aruna Chapori, which lies between the mainland and the river island Majuli, transforming a vast area into a forest reserve since 1980. Jadav Payeng’s sprawling Molai Kathoni (Molai’s Woods) is now a thriving habitat to a large number of birds, animals and insects, including deers, tigers, rhinos, Asiatic buffaloes, monkeys, vultures, snakes, and more. The Molai Reserve, which covers approximately 550 hectares, is home to thousands of trees and more than 100 species of medicinal plants.

Bali
Dir: Amoli Birewar; 25:45 min; Documentary; India
In a small village in Maharashtra, Sujata, a young girl from the Banjara tribe, is at that fleeting age when anything feels possible. She dreams of becoming a kabaddi player, inspired by the movies she loves. But as her school years come to an end, she is pushed toward a forced marriage, like generations of women before her. A district-level tournament becomes her last chance to change her future. As she steps onto the Kabaddi court, Sujata slips into a Bollywood-tinted dream, momentarily becoming the hero of her own story.

Those, revealed on the walls, in a touch
Dir: Anand P Chandran; 28:00 min; Documentary; India
A short documentary capturing the heartfelt journey of a grandson returning home to visit his aging grandmother, who had broken into tears during a phone call longing to see him. The film unfolds as an intimate homecoming, where the camera becomes a quiet observer of the emotional reconnection between the two generations. Through shared meals, everyday conversations, and moments of silence, the grandson begins to rediscover his roots. 

Saath Paar Zindagi ( Life Beyond 60 )
Dir: Haider Khan; 1:05:54 min; Documentary; India
Saath Paar Zindagi (Life Beyond 60) is a cinematic tribute to five extraordinary Padma Shri awardee women who have defied societal norms and reshaped traditions through their resilience and courage. Manjamma Jogati (67), Parbati Barua (71), Hirbai Ibrahim Lobi (72), Friederike Irina Bruning (67), and Chutni Mahato (66) come from diverse backgrounds but share an unyielding spirit that has left an indelible mark on society.

Thar: Sacred Groves and Waterscapes
Dir: Pranjal Joshi; 19:59 min; Documentary; India
In a world driven by instant gratification, the stories of communities in and around Orans offer a lasting reminder of the power of nurturing and protecting nature with love and respect. These communities understand that true rewards—such as peace—are beyond the reach of money and haste. Their legacy is the forest and all its wild inhabitants, cherished as vital to ecological balance. From shared groundwater wells that sustain over 100 households without ever being overdrawn, to community-led efforts in wildlife and water conservation, the people in western Rajasthan exemplify a profound, selfless commitment to preserving nature.

Nilgiris: Customs and Culturescapes
Dir: Pranjal Joshi; 19:59 min; Documentary; India
The people of the Nilgiris, nestled in the hills of Southern India, share a deep connection with their land. They have spent centuries understanding the nuances of nature, embracing age-old traditions passed down through generations. One such practice is beekeeping, an integral part of their lives that provides sustenance and forms a unique bond between the people and their environment.

Sundarbans: Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes
Dir: Pranjal Joshi; 18:15 min; Documentary; India
"Sundarbans: Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes” weaves stories of the natural heritage of the largest delta and mangrove forests of the world. In a naturescape where the ground beneath one's feet is constantly fleeting, the forests function as a space that gives generously and takes mercilessly. The confluence of endangered species and unpredictable livelihoods - is a tale that ties faith and ecology, resulting in coexistence amongst vulnerabilities.

Slow Wave
Dir: Pooja Kadam; 9:22 min; Documentary; India
Living in the current times often leaves me questioning “existence.” With existence comes the fear of its absence. The film is a documentation of such an experience and an attempt to pen down fear and loss. It helped me share a dialogue with my parents around unexpressed fears and sorrows hidden deep down, thus opening a channel of accepting the inevitable, death!

27th Madurai Int Doc and Short Film Festival 2025 : Entries invited!

27th Madurai Int Doc and Short Film Festival 2025

6-10 December, multiple venues, Madurai

Entries invited! Last date to send entries : 1 September 2025

Organised by MARUPAKKAM

Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival is one of the oldest documentary film festivals in India. Started in 1998, we have been successfully organising this festival annually to introduce and nurture documentary and short film culture in and around Madurai, one of the oldest cities in the world. Our event is an inclusive, democratic, local, independent and a small event with a purpose. By showing films at multiple venues, we reach out to the audiences who would otherwise miss out such opportunities.

We are proud to announce the 27th edition of our film festival.


Rules and Regulations :
1) Non Competitive event
2) No screening fee will be provided
3) Will be held offline depending upon the local administrative situation; if the local administration does not allow offline / physical event, the festival will be conducted online.
4) Downloadable links / files (not more than 10 GB in size) should be sent for the selection
5) Local stay will be provided to the filmmakers of the selected films, if the festival takes place offline
6) No travel support will be provided to the filmmakers who attend the film festival, if the festival takes place offline
7) Films that promote or support hatred will not be admitted
8) Discussions will be organized via online if the filmmakers can't attend the festival
9) The films should have subtitles in English.
10) Entry fee will not be returned.
11) Selection Committee and Jury are results are final and non negotiable.
12) Selected films will be screened in the future non commercial film screenings and film festivals (organised by MARUPAKKAM) with the consent of the concerned filmmakers / producers
13) Feature length fiction films will be screened in DCP format.
14) There will be no competition for feature length fiction films.
15) Feature length fiction films (selected only) from India will be given a moderate screening fee.

Click here to send the entries.

Ph: 9940642044 / 9444025348 

Article on 26th Madurai Film Festival 2024 : The Hindu

Madurai’s tryst with parallel cinema

Madurai, known primarily for its celebration of the superstar culture, has also been silently applauding and encouraging the films of real humans and their lives for nearly 26 years

Article on 26th Madurai Film Festival 2024 : The Hindu 

26th Madurai Film Festival 2024 : We welcome you!

26th Madurai International Documentary and 

Short Film Festival 2024

6-10 December, multiple venues, Madurai 

Screening Schedule (subject to changes)

Parallel Shows (subject to changes)

Sections

 International Documentaries 

 Indian Documentaries  

 International Short Fiction 

 Indian Short Fiction 

 Animation Films

 Music Videos & Experimental Films

Selection Committee :

Lata Murugan, filmmaker / teacher 

Mini Hari, filmmaker

 Santhosh Ram, filmmaker

Amal Raj, filmmaker / teacher

Prof Rachel

Prof Thenmozhi

 Babu K, artist / designer

 Amudhan RP, filmmaker / curator / teacher

Shankar, Festival Coordinator 

Support us! 

We are a non commercial, non funded, not for profit, independent, local, small, democratic, inclusive, consistent and brave film festival.  Support us financially!