by Satinder Mohan
The 56th IFFI Goa from 20 to 28th November 2025, hosted India’s first ever AI Film Festival. This event was sponsored by LTIMindtree and organised by NFDC. The AI Film Festival is a visionary platform that celebrates the fusion of artificial intelligence and cinematic creativity. This pioneering initiative curates acclaimed and award-winning AI generated short films from filmmakers and festivals from across the world that redefine storytelling, visual design and narrative innovation.
Shridharan K.S Director, SSE (Film Division) told me that for the Cinema AI Hackathon, 180 entries were received, out of which 14 best films were selected in two stages. The subject for making the Cinema AI Hackathon films was “Memories Reimagined”. The 48 hours contest started 20th November 4 PM and concluded on 22nd November at 4PM. The contestants were asked to make AI films of 1 to 2-minute duration. These films were judged by the 8-member jury chaired by Shekhar Kapur, Festival Director. The cinema AI hackathon Jury consisted of: 1.Shekhar Kapur Festival Director – Chairman
2. Ram das Naidu, Producer/Director 3.Ashwin Kumar, Director/ Animator 4.Ms. Asha Batra, Film Historian 5.Dr. Sujay Sen, Executive Vice President of LTIMindtree
6. Ms. Nayna Raut, Sr. Director, of LTIMindtree 7. Dibyendu Halder, Executive Vice President of LTIMindtree 8.Ms. Neha Kathuria, Chief Marketing officer of LTIMindtree.
The jury decided the 5 awards as under:
1.Best AI Film- Rs. 4 lacs to “My Red crayon” 2.Innovative Use of AI -Rs. 2 lacs to “REMORY” 3. Best Storytelling -Rs. 1 lac to “Lost and Found” 4. Best Visuals-1 lac to “BEING” 5. Best Sound-Rs. 1 lac to “MONSOON ECHO”
AI Film Festival
Shridhar told me that 70 entries were received from 18 countries. Out of which, 31 films were selected. 27 films were for the competition and 4 films were in the non-competition category. The jury for the AI films was also chaired by Shekhar Kapur. There were total 6 members in this jury 1.Shekhar Kapur Festival Director – Chairman
2. Ram das Naidu, Producer/Director 3.Ashwin Kumar, Director/ Animator 4.Ms. Asha Batra, Film Historian 5.Dr. Sujay Sen, Executive Vice President of LTIMindtree
6. Ms. Nayna Raut, Sr. Director, of LTIMindtree
The Craft Honors represent the premier awards of the AI Film Festival at IFFI 2025. These awards celebrate excellence in AI-powered storytelling, recognizing the most visionary creators who are redefining cinema through technology. The jury, comprising renowned filmmakers and industry experts, ensured that the selections reflect the highest standards of innovation and artistry.
The awards were given as under:
1.The Craft Master Award: NAGORI
Best AI short Film -Rs. -3 lacs
For excellence in storytelling, execution and emotional impact
2.The craft vanguard award: The cinema that never was -Most innovative use of AI / Experimental Narrative-Rs. 2 lacs
For Celebrating bold experimentation and creative risk taking
3. Craft Spectra Award – Kyra Best AI Animation/ visual design Rs. -1 lac
Foe exceptional visual artistry powered by AI
4. Jury Special mention The Last Backup Final part
5. Jury Special mention Miracle on Kachua Beach
All the above awards were given by the hands of Shekhar Kapur, Krishana Iyer, chief growth Officer of LTIMindtree and Dr. Sujay Sen, Executive Vice President of LTIMindtree in the glittering award ceremony held at Hotel Marriot in the evening on 24th November.
A screening of AI film festival and Cinema AI Hackathon was held on 26th Nov 2025at 2.30 Pm in Maqunez palace 1. Before starting the screenings, Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan NM, IAS, Joint Secretary (Films)/ Ministry of I&B and Sh. Hemant Nibalkar, IPS felicitated the Jury members present. The participants of Cinema AI hackathon were also felicitated by presenting with mementos by Shekhar Kapur and Prakash Magdum, Managing Director of NFDC.13 cinema AI hackathon and 20 AI film festival films were screened .In another screening of AI films at INOX-IV Parvorim on 27th nov2025 at 4.45 11 AI film festival and 13 Cinema Ai hackathon films were screened.
(The writer is a retired Additional Director General from Ministry of Defence; and he has attended 42 editions of IFFI as a delegate, where the first IFFI attended by him was the 9th edition of IFFI and held at Siri Fort, New Delhi.
He has been a Jury member of Indian Panorama, feature film Jury at the 47th IFFI at Goa in 2016 and again in IFFI 2020 held in 2021)
