Underground International Film Festival ()

Début du Festival: 28 juin 2026      Fin du Festival: 28 juin 2026

Stories and storytellers surround us despite that, most stories go unheard and cannot reach their audience.

UGIFF is India's first underground film festival.

UGIFF is the festival, promising to bring stories that struggle to reach and garner independent cinema.

Festival of Global Artists, Storytellers, and Audiences.

Come, witness the disruption, be a part of the movement.

Celebrate Cinema| Promote Art | Support Artists'

Our goal is to give you an appreciation of a wide variety of genres, from horror, sci-fi, and fantasy to comedies, thrillers, and music-related films. Besides finding great films, we intend to showcase and promote talented local and international storytellers.

We intend to present a wide range of work exploring the various definitions and interpretations of the concept of 'Underground'.

Bringing innovative and challenging selections that challenge and appease the interests of all film lovers, we aim to support and contribute to the globally thriving arts community.

Best Indian Short
Best International Short
Best Music Video
Best Experimental Short

Rules & Terms

UGIFF is looking for independent projects from all genres, particularly low or no-budget ones and accepting all film/video submissions. Film and Video submissions are accepted in all categories.

We encourage local, national and international submissions.

We love all genres and screen a variety of films from documentaries to narrative, animation and music videos.

The Underground International Film Festival will be a hybrid Festival experience, with Festival films screened at screening venues as well as virtually on the UGIFF Channel, making the Festival available to its wide variety of avid film lovers. The Festival will present the best in international and independent films from around the globe.

1. To submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.

2. Priority is given to Indian premieres, and films that have not been screened in theatre, OTT Platforms, local festivals or Indian broadcasts before our dates.

3. Films must not have been released on VOD, or available to Indian audiences for free.

4. If you change your screener link or password, and do not notify us on your own, it could end up not being seen.

5. If DOWNLOAD IS NOT ENABLED Festival may not ask for the downloads and may reject the film.

6. Non-Exclusive Limited Use Agreement for Submitted Films
All films entered into the festival grant the festival a non-exclusive, limited use agreement to utilize selected portions of the submitted films under the following conditions:

6.1 Additional Screenings: The festival may hold up to three additional offline screenings of the film within one year for promotional purposes.

6.2 Publicity Materials: The agreement allows the use of the following materials:
• The Film’s title
• The Film’s synopsis
• Photographs
• Trailers
• Other publicity deliverables
• Names, voice, biographical information, and likenesses of principal cast members, director(s), writer(s), producer(s), and crew members

6.3 Media Use: These materials may be used in the following media:
• UFFI’s website
• Social media platforms (including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube)
• Printed festival film guide
• Festival mobile app
• Radio
• Television
• Press releases

6.4 Scope and Duration: This usage is granted throughout the universe and in perpetuity, without compensation, permission, or notification to the entrants.
6.5 Purpose: The materials will be used solely for advertising, publicizing, and promoting the Film Festival and the Film’s screening.
By submitting a film to the festival, entrants agree to these terms and are solely responsible for ensuring all necessary rights and permissions are secured.

7. Filmmakers fully retain all rights, titles, and interests in their films and all Intellectual Property. Also, the organizers will be able to share the information with their publicity partners.

8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AWARDS: Entrants must agree to acknowledge the award on the film itself if wins the award.

9. RETURN OF COPIES: Copies for the festival will be retained by the organizers in the archive of the festival for cultural purposes.

10. CANCELLATION/REJECTION: Festival reserves the right to cancel any submission or take any action against any breach of regulations or any misbehaviour disturbing the course of the festival and reserves all the rights to refuse or reject any registration/entry of any submission(s) or persons or institutions.

11. Submission will only be considered valid after receiving all the required documents and the final screening copy of the film(s)

12. After notification of selection, the film may not be withdrawn from the festival under any circumstance.

13. Results declared by the programming team and juries will be treated as final and all the participants will abide by them.

14. All Fees are non-refundable and by submitting your film to the festival, you accept the terms and conditions mentioned.

15. The festival relationship will exclusively be related to the film submitter.

16. Any Foreign film that is not in English must have English subtitles.

17. Students must present a valid Student ID to receive our student discount.

18. Filmmakers can submit the film in multiple categories to become a multi-award film. Still, the decision about the selection is strictly determined by our judges' team and no selection is guaranteed.

19. FESTIVAL WILL NOT HAVE ANY BINDINGS TO GIVE ANY CLARIFICATION OR JUSTIFICATION REGARDING THE RESULTS TO ANYONE.

20. IMPORTANT NOTE: The Festival reserves the right to change the rules and regulations or the competition's schedule. Dates and guidelines are subject to change without prior notice.

21. International remittance may only happen via PayPal. The remittance may take up to 30 days post the event festival and may ask for documentation for the remittance if not provided in time the remittance will be void.