The fifth edition of the Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (EAEFF) will take place from 22 to 27 September 2026 at the Ground Floor Galleries of Emami Art in Kolkata. The six-day festival will present experimental films, video works and artists’ moving-image practices from India and around the world, alongside exhibitions, workshops, masterclasses and public discussions. The event is free to attend.
Fifth Edition Marks New Phase for Festival
Launched in 2022, EAEFF has developed into a platform focused on alternative and experimental moving-image practices. According to organisers, the 2026 edition is the festival’s largest programme so far. The open call received 1,657 submissions from 102 countries, reflecting growing international participation. Selected works will be presented through Indian and international competition sections, curated programmes and exhibition formats.
The festival is organised by Emami Art, a contemporary art gallery established in Kolkata in 2017. The gallery is known for its exhibitions, artist development initiatives and annual cultural programmes, with a particular focus on practices emerging from eastern and northeastern India.
International Collaborations and Guest Programmes
This year’s edition will feature four invited international programmes. Among them are presentations from Light Cone in Paris, Kyoto Art Center in Japan, Circuit Artist Moving Image in New Zealand and a guest-curated programme from the experimental film community of Pittsburgh in the United States. These collaborations continue the festival’s history of partnerships with institutions including Sharjah Art Foundation, KADIST, Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan and WNDX Festival of Moving Image.
Organisers note that festival programmes from previous editions have travelled to venues and platforms such as the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, KADIST.tv and Jaipur Centre for Art, contributing to international exchange around experimental cinema.
Expanded Cinema Enters the Gallery Space
A significant addition to EAEFF 2026 is the introduction of a Moving Image Exhibition, bringing installation-based works into the gallery environment. The exhibition will feature artists including Arpita Akhanda, Kaddukkas, Pankaj Sarma, Solomon Nagler and Alexandre Larose, Ushnish Mukhopadhyay and Nilanjan Bhattacharya.
The festival describes this expansion as an effort to present moving-image practices beyond conventional screening formats. Through installations and expanded cinema works, audiences will be able to encounter film and video as spatial and material experiences.
Student and Emerging Filmmaker Participation
Another new component is the Students’ Experimental Cinema section. The programme will showcase moving-image research by doctoral candidates and emerging practitioners from institutions including the University of Westminster, NSCAD University, the University of Colorado Boulder, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) and the University of Pittsburgh.
The initiative aims to connect experimental filmmaking with academic research and encourage dialogue between established practitioners and emerging voices working across contemporary moving-image practices.
Official Selections and Awards
The festival’s Indian and international selections feature works from a wide range of artistic and geographic contexts.
Highlights from the Indian Official Selection include:
- A Circle as the Center of the Whole by Utkarsh (Award Winner)
- Boudinet’s Curtain by Maya.nk (Award Winner)
- Saccharine Wonderland & Forces That Make Me Shiver [Abhilash:Ishq] by Tushar Gidwani (Special Mention)
- Margherita by Devadeep Gupta (Special Mention)
International selections include works from:
- Austria and Albania
- Italy
- Colombia
- Hong Kong and the United Kingdom
- Taiwan and the Netherlands
- Canada
- South Korea
- Mexico
- Indonesia and Singapore
The 2026 jury includes Srikanth Srinivasan, Kamila Kuc, Mark Williams and Emmanuel Lefrant. Two awards of INR 50,000 each will be presented in the Indian competition section.
Workshops, Masterclasses and Public Programmes
Alongside screenings and exhibitions, EAEFF 2026 will host a range of educational and public events.
Festival programmes include:
- Workshops
- Masterclasses
- Panel discussions
- Roundtables
- Public conversations with filmmakers, artists and scholars
These events continue the festival’s emphasis on discourse and critical engagement with experimental cinema and contemporary moving-image culture.
Visitor Information
| Event | Details |
| Title | Emami Art Experimental Film Festival 2026 (EAEFF) |
| Venue | Ground Floor Galleries, Emami Art, 777 Anandapur, EM Bypass, Kolkata 700107 |
| City | Kolkata, India |
| Opening Date | 22 September 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | 22–27 September 2026 |
| Organiser | Emami Art |
| Entry / Tickets | Free Entry |
| Hours | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM Daily |
| Website / Registration | https://www.emamiart.com |
The festival will be held at Emami Art, located at 777 Anandapur, EM Bypass, Kolkata. Programmes will run daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and entry is free. Additional information can be found on the official Emami Art website and the festival’s social media channels.
The fifth edition of EAEFF reflects the growing role of experimental moving-image practices within contemporary art and cinema. By combining screenings, exhibitions, research-based projects and international collaborations, the festival offers audiences an opportunity to engage with diverse artistic approaches while strengthening Kolkata’s position within global conversations on experimental film and visual culture.
