Filmmakers from across the eight northeastern states have until March 19 to submit their entries for the 3rd North East India Film Festival (NEIFF), organisers announced during a press conference held in Imphal on Monday.
The two-day film festival will be held on March 21 and 22 at Tantha Polis Cinema.
According to the organisers, the festival is open to both feature and non-feature films produced in the Northeast and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
Notably, there is no entry fee, a move aimed at encouraging participation from independent and emerging filmmakers across the region.
Filmmakers from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and Manipur are eligible to participate.
The festival will feature eight competitive award categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Non-Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Screenplay, and the Jury Award. Each award will carry a citation, statuette and cash prize. The jury may also confer special mentions to films or individuals that deserve recognition but fall outside the main award categories.
The festival is organised by THOUNA, Manipur, in association with the Department of Information and Public Relations, Manipur and the All Manipur Film Producers Association. The event is supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the National Film Development Corporation.
Entries must be submitted to the 3rd NEIFF 2026 Cell at TanthaPolis Cinema, Lamphel. Entry forms and festival rules are available on the official website, and filmmakers can also contact the organisers via email for further details.
