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MIFF 2026 Concludes on a High Note, Celebrating Global Excellence in Documentary, Animation and Short Fiction Cinema The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026) drew to a successful close today, marking the culmination of six days of cinematic celebration, creative exchange, and meaningful storytelling. The festival brought together filmmakers, industry professionals, film enthusiasts, students, and emerging creators from across the world, reaffirming MIFF’s position as one of the leading platforms for documentary, animation and short fiction cinema. A total of 17 awards were presented at the closing ceremony, honouring outstanding achievements across international and national competition categories. The prestigious Golden Conch for Best International Documentary Film, carrying a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, was awarded to the Polish documentary Silver. The Silver Conch for Best International Short Fiction Film and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh went to the Iranian film Under The Snow, while the Silver Conch for Best International Animation Film and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh was presented to the German animation film Maya’s Song. In the National Competition, Waai won the Silver Conch for Best Indian Documentary Film along with a cash prize of ₹5 lakh. The FTII-produced Small Clouds received the Silver Conch for Best Indian Short Fiction Film, while Tamil animation film Armstrong from Angaalamman Temple Street won the Silver Conch for Best Animation Film. Among the special honours, the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize was awarded to The Hug of Emptiness by Pradeep Kenchanuru, while the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Award for Best Debut Director went to Pooja Tolani for Raaza. The IDPA Award for Best Student Film was presented to Milan Kumar for The Old Bull Knows, or Once Knew. MIFF 2026 witnessed an overwhelming global response, receiving 1,459 film entries from around the world. The Competition Section featured 144 films, including 52 international and 92 national entries representing 13 countries. The Non-Competition Section showcased 202 films from 46 countries across 24 curated segments such as Mosaic, Best of Fest, Busan Next Wave, Oscar Winners, Raimund Krumme Retrospective, NFDC Showcase, Echoes from North East, Marathi Films and IFFI CMOT. The film festival concluded as a vibrant celebration of cinematic excellence, cultural diversity, and the transformative power of storytelling.