Rani Durgavati International Film Festival (5)

Festival start: 05 October 2025      Festival end: 05 October 2025

The Rani Durgavati International Film Festival is designed to celebrate Cinema.

RDIFF is committed to Showcase films from amazing filmmakers across the globe. The festival welcomes films from around the world.

RDIFF is a Jabalpur, India based international film festival with screenings and Q&A and a twice-yearly awards event. One event is totally dedicated to Short Films and other event is for Full Length Films. There will be two events every year.

Our First Edition SUCCESSFULLY launched on 5th October 2023 for Short Films.
in June 2024 our Full Length Films Edition was a success.
The 3rd Edition for short films category was completed on 5 Oct 2024. Honorable MLA Shri Abhilash Pandey distributed the Awards. Edition 4 was filled with amazing films.

Entries for edition 05 for short films are open from 15/07/2025.

Our main focus is to celebrate Cinema of Independent Filmmakers. We have a separate section for Indie Makers with less entry fee.

Note for Independent Filmmakers
As there are many films which did not get a release and makers did not get a good platform to showcase their cinema. RDIFF will provide them an online platform where they can schedule it and show it to the world. RDIFF will promote those films in the market (for that RDIFF will connect with the independent filmmakers separately, for query email us with Subject: RDIFF Play)

All projects officially selected will receive the official laurel and the custom certificate of achievement according to their final status in the competition through email.

The competition is open for professionals as well as students with separate section for student filmmakers.

Since we our guided by valour of Braveheart Queen Rani Durgavati, we will have a special category for Women Independent Filmmakers.

RDIFF is a festival with a difference.

CATEGORIES

Best Indian Short
Entries only for makers from India, All Genres
Best Madhya Pradesh Short
Entries only for makers from Madhya Pradesh, All Genres
Best Independent Short
Entries only for Independent filmmakers not backed by any production house, All Genres
Best Documentary Short
Best Experimental Short
Best Student Short
Only for Students with valid Identity Certificate of their School/College
Best Animation Short
Best Drama Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Romantic Comedy Short
Best Dark Comedy Short
Best Thriller Short
Best Action Short
Best Crime Short
Best Horror Short
Best Sci-Fi Short
Best Children Short
Film must have children in primary cast and must be children-oriented storyline
Best Women Short
Film submitted must be from Woman Independent Filmmaker
Best Director
Best First Time Director
Best Student Director
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Sound
Best Original Score
Best Smartphone Short
Shot on Smartphone with HD Quality
Best Music Video

All Official Selections will be provided Official Laurel.
All Finalists will receive Certificates through emails.
All Winners will receive Certificates through emails and a Trophy*
All the contestant if they want to attend the Live Event of the RDIFF they must inform the organizing committee well in advance since it is a non ticketing event,
Travel and Stay shall be bear by contestant, RDIFF will not be liable to pay any such expenses . Although organizing committee will help you to find a good place to stay in Jabalpur.

*For Trophy there will be courier charges if winners do not attend the Live Event.

The film/short film must have been completed after 1st Sep 2024

The film / short film can be Documentary, Experimental, Narrative, Fiction, Non - fiction or Animation.

Total running time must be of maximum of 20 minutes in length, including credits. There is no minimum running time limitation.

Premiere Status not required.

The film can be in any language or any genre. All films must have English/Hindi/Marathi sub- titles for festival presentation.

We do not provide platform for any film that is likely to offend sentiments, feelings or sensibilities of any caste, community, religion and sector is likely to promote racism or ill will in the society, drug abuse, nudity etc.

We strongly recommend family viewing social content.
Censor Certificate is not mandatory for the film screening.

Multiple entries can be submitted. (Maximum of 3 entries)

By submitting the film, the submitter agrees that:

1. Rani Durgavati International Film Festival can use trailer/teaser/film poster/stills or BTS for promotional purpose (but do not release, under any form or circumstances, the full film)

2. Entry fees are non-refundable.

3. The submitter owns all the rights to the film, meaning that the submitted work (i) does not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity, that (ii) does not constitute or include a defamation of any person or entity, and that (iii) its representatives have paid and will pay in full all license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from or associated with the exhibition of the Film at or in connection with the Festival. Also, that the submitter is duly authorized, on his own behalf and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights or interests (including, without limitation, intellectual property rights) in or relating to the film, to exhibit the film at the festival.

4. The submitter cannot withdraw the submission after the official selection announcement. If submitter fails the observance of this rule, the festival has the right to proceed with any legal action at its sole discretion.

5. For student fees, it is mandatory the student status evidence (e.g copy of student card included in the project).

6. RDIFF has right to use the entries / send / selected / nominated films, DVD and materials from the short film for Festival promotional purposes and to retain DVD copies of each film as part of our festival library.

7. The publicity material (Brochure, Stills, Poster, etc.) and a synopsis of the short film to be enclosed with the entry. Entry materials submitted shall not be returned to the entrant. If sent by courier, The festival will not be responsible or borne to pay if the Courier stuck with the concern department.

8. Film should be submitted before deadline. And only through Festhome and through our Website.

9. Once film submitted for selection will be considered as final and no changes will be entertained after submission.

Selection
Winners are selected by a judging panel of industry professionals consisting of independent producers, production companies, filmmakers, and other film industry professionals who may be substituted at the discretion of the Festival organizers.

All films are judged equally based on:
Content Originality (Quality of story line, and script)
Production (Camera work, lighting, and shot composition)
Post Production(Editing, transitions, pacing, continuity, and flow)
Image (Focus, colour, and lighting)
Sound Quality (Clarity, consistency of audio levels, and lack of noise)
There will be at least 4 different judges to score the quality and creativity of each entry. The highest rated entries are nominated for the awards of the respective categories and finally the winners are chosen.

Besides the main award for each category, there can be Honourable Mentions.

No work or artist will be either discriminated or favoured by their country of origin, language, age, race, education, gender, ideology, or by their economic resources. Every content, every form, every technique will be admitted with no censorship of any kind.

The decision of selection committee is final and no correspondence will be entertained.

Finalists will be notified by email. RDIFF will use its best efforts to announce the selected films, winners at the designated time, but will not be held liable for any unforeseen delays.

By entering the Rani Durgavati International Film Festival, contestants and/ or their parents or legal guardian (if such entrant is a minor) agree to accept and be bound by the decisions of the festival and its judges which are final and binding in all matters.

Selection of films for RDIFF will be done by a committee whose decision will be final. However, Festival Authorities reserve the right to accept or reject any short film at any time. The Festival Authorities will have the right to screen (maximum 5 screening) in different cities of India on non- commercial basis. For promotional / publicity purposes, excerpts from any film entered in the festival may be shown on any Television network / Internet or related media during the festival period.

Entrant agrees to be bound by all terms of these official Festival rules and regulations as established herein. The Rani Durgavati International Film Festival reserves the right to extend the festival deadline for any unforeseen reasons if needed. Entry constitutes permission to use winner's name, likeness, and voice for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

Short films/Films that are submitted must be the entrants’ original work and shall not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties.

Contestants agree that they have obtained all required permissions regarding music, sound and/ or images presented in your short film/films. By entering the festival, the entrant agrees that the Rani Durgavati International Film Festival will not be held liable for any copyright infringements perpetrated by you or your short film/film.

The RDIFF reserves the right to not screen any film(s) for any reason it deems valid.

The entrants may also run the risk of being prosecuted as per the Indian Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Media Law for any Offence or Infringement, the legal issues, if any, shall be under the jurisdiction of Jabalpur High Court only.

RDIFF organizing, selection committee members, juries are not allowed to participate in respective festival as a contestant

Entrants will retain all ownership rights to their films submitted.

Disclaimer:

(i) We do not have any associate event. Any resemblance to other events is purely coincidental. We do not represent or can be represented by any other organization.

(ii) Also, we do not disclose any kind of information with third parties.

(iii) Finally, please be aware that we do not ask for or accept any kind of donations.

Rani Durgavati International Film Festival 2025 © All Rights Reserved