We are pleased to inform you that the 16th Delhi International Film Festival, 2027, is being organized as a five-day event in New Delhi in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (Ministry of Culture). The DPRK (North Korea) and Russia will be the country partners. This includes seven editions of the 15th Delhi International Film Festival, 2027, which will run from Feb 22, 2027.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which functions as a component body of the government, is a key player in the Delhi International Film Festival, ensuring that whenever a film festival abroad requires Indian films to be shown, we participate with Indian programs.
The festival will feature films from over 50 countries in sections such as Indian Showcase, World Cinema, Arab Cinema, NRI Cinema, and Across-Border Cinema. The opening and closing events will be key attractions. This year is a year of focus on Arab cinema and cinema from India's Northeast.
But the most important aspect of the 16th edition is the screening of films related to women's empowerment and social issues related to children.
In previous editions, Canada, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestine, Russia, and Israel have been country partners. Eight films screened and awarded at the Delhi International Film Festival have won National Awards, such as Agam and Dada Lakhmi, and four foreign films have been official entries for the Oscars from their respective countries.
DIFF is a unique festival of its kind, playing a vital role in promoting Indian cinema, art, and culture not only in Central Asian and Arab countries but also in European countries. DIFF has organized Indian programs in DPRK (North Korea), Sri Lanka, Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia. Last year, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Morocco, DIFF also organized an Indian program in Tunisia and Morocco.
Another unique feature of DIFF is its inclusive approach. All Indian regional film industries have a significant presence at the festival, and the South Indian film industry, which is particularly large, is well represented at DIFF. DIFF also supports and guides the Jharkhand and Haryana International Film Festivals, and upcoming film festivals in South India and other countries.
In a noble effort to celebrate Indian cinema, the DIFFA Awards – the Delhi International Film Festival Academy Awards – will be held annually abroad to promote and honor outstanding contributions to Indian cinema.
This year, the DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to world-renowned singers Ms. Usha Uthup and Ramesh Sippy. R.D. A tribute to Burman is being planned and in this regard, artists like Ms. Tagore, Ketan Mehta, Runa Laila, Rituparna Sen Gupta, Raghuveer Yadav, Rajpal Yadav, Ravi Kishan, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Mita Vashisht, Chittaranjan Tripathi, Shruti Ulfat, Piyush Mishra and Renuka Shahane are planned to be invited.
