45 films in eight languages to be screened at Puducherry Film Festival 2026

PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Film Festival, which till last year focused on South Indian cinema, is going international this year. In a major move to transform the Union territory into a global cinematic hub, the festival has been upscaled into an international extravaganza, according to a release. It will be held from Feb 12 to 15. Chief minister N Rangasamy unveiled the logo for the Puducherry Film Festival 2026 on Tuesday.


The logo launch event saw the presence of public works minister K Lakshminarayanan, MLA K S P alias S Ramesh, district collector A Kulothungan and secretary (information) Muhammad Ahshan Abid and others. The four-day festival will kick off with an inaugural ceremony on the Beach Road on Feb 12. A central feature of the event is the presentation of the prestigious "Nadagathanthai Sankaradass Swamigal Award", which honours excellence in film direction.

The Puducherry govt announced that the 2024 award would be conferred on director Karthik Subburaj for the Tamil film Jigarthanda DoubleX. The 2025 award will be presented to director Dinesh Selvaraj for the Tamil film Kadal Kanni. Both directors will receive a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Following the awards, the film Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, directed by Pa Ranjith, will be screened. Celebrities like actresses Revathi, Sunainaa and directors Pa Ranjith and Karthik Subbaraj will attend the ceremony.

The festival will feature a total of 45 films in eight languages on six different screens. Kamarajar Manimandapam (Karuvadikuppam) will screen 35 regional films, including a special tribute to the life of late Tamil Nadu chief minister and Congress stalwart Kamarajar on Feb 13. Alliance Française de Pondichéry will be dedicated to acclaimed international cinema. Dr Abdul Kalam Science Centre & Planetarium will screen three children's films daily.

The release said the festival would host exclusive master classes to empower local youth and aspiring filmmakers. Film editor A Sreekar Prasad and veteran actor and director Nasser will hold classes on Feb 14 and 15, respectively. The festival also includes an exhibition showcasing photographs of Sankaradass Swamigal and legendary directors Guru Dutt and Ritwik Ghatak.

The entry is free of cost for all screenings and events. Interested people can register at https://share.google/c2SKllW5Btnvatq55 (First Come First Served).

"Puducherry is already a favourite destination for filmmakers, with nearly 75 to 80 films shot here annually. By expanding this festival to an international level, we aim to provide a platform for our youth to learn global technical standards while celebrating the best of Indian and world cinema," said Rangasamy.