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Global Celebration of Marathi Cinema in the US, Starting Tomorrow, for Three Days! 3rd NAFA Film Festival, organized in association with the Government of Maharashtra, to be held in San Jose from August 7-9; a feast of world premieres, masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions, and an awards ceremony! San Jose to turn Marathi from August 7-9! California, San Jose (Correspondent): The 3rd NAFA Film Festival 2026, which provides a global platform to Marathi cinema, will be held on a grand scale this year on August 7, 8, and 9 at the California Theatre, San Jose, USA. Organized in association with the Government of Maharashtra, the three-day festival will offer audiences a vibrant confluence of films, short films, world premieres, masterclasses by veteran artists, workshops, meet-and-greets, panel discussions, and award ceremonies, announced NAFA founder-president Abhijit Gholap. Day One: Red Carpet, Fashion Show, and a Grand Awards Ceremony The festival will kick off on Friday, August 7, with a grand red carpet in the presence of celebrities. The evening will feature guest registration, a media lounge for the press, red carpet arrivals, an eye-catching fashion show, followed by the Awards Night Gala, the main highlight of the first day. Running late into the night, the ceremony will honour eminent personalities from Marathi cinema. Day Two: World Premieres, Celebrity Masterclasses, and a Host of Workshops Saturday, August 8, will be packed with events from the morning onward. Following the inaugural ceremony, world premieres of several highly anticipated films are scheduled, including Naa Aavadti Gosht, Tu Mi Aani Amayra, and Dwidha. Premieres of ButterScotch, Bramhakamal, Ek Suvarna Pravas, Hyphen, and a special NAFA-produced short film are also planned. Special masterclasses will be held on this day by acclaimed actor Atul Kulkarni, director Nagraj Manjule, actresses Girija Oak and Shruti Marathe, and veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi. These sessions will give emerging artists, writers, and film scholars a direct opportunity to learn from industry veterans. In addition, a "Meet & Greet" programme will be held with Archana Joglekar, Ajinkya Deo, Mahesh Kothare, Trupti Bhoir, Sai Deodhar, and Gargi Kulkarni, giving fans a chance to interact with them directly. Workshops will include a session on Micro Drama by Atul Kulkarni, a special session by Archana Joglekar, a "Director's Grid" session with Mahesh Kothare, Nagraj Manjule and Ajinkya Deo, and a special conversation, "Coffee with Kaushik", with ABP Majha's Executive Editor Sarita Kaushik. Day Three: New Films, Student Short Films, and the Closing Ceremony Sunday, August 9, the final day of the festival, will also offer special programming for film lovers. Premieres are scheduled for the short film Undocumented.PDF along with the films Paro and Frames, alongside special screenings of the short films Andesha, Panha, Baburao in Love with Ella, H1B or Not Be, Keki, and Those Left Behind. This segment also gives an important platform to the work of student directors. On the final day too, masterclasses and conversation sessions will be held with Mahesh Kothare, Atul Kulkarni, Nagraj Manjule, Ajinkya Deo, Girija Oak, and Rohini Hattangadi. The three-day cinematic celebration will conclude with a grand Closing Ceremony, bringing to an enthusiastic close a festival that honours Marathi cinema on the global stage. An Important Milestone in the Global Journey of Marathi Cinema Bringing together producers, directors, actors, technicians, students, media representatives, and Marathi cinema lovers from across the world, the festival — alongside film screenings — marks a significant step towards establishing a new global identity for Marathi cinema. NAFA founder-president Abhijit Gholap expressed confidence that this year's NAFA Film Festival, with its world premieres, quality panel discussions, guidance from experienced artists, and cultural exchange, will be a memorable one for Marathi cinema.