The three-day Hyderabad International Short Film Festival (HISFF) concluded on Sunday with the announcement of winners at a grand valedictory ceremony, marking the culmination of an event that celebrated powerful storytelling, cultural diversity, and independent cinema from across the world.
The valedictory ceremony commenced with a traditional Nadaswaram performance by the 10-member Sri Srinivasa Nadaswara Brundam from Mahbubnagar. This was followed by a scintillating Perini Shivatandavam performance by Hyderabad-based Perini Prakash & Team.
Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture, Jayesh Ranjan; and Telangana Film Development Corporation Chairman Dil Raju graced the ceremony.
Actor-dancer Lima Das, Manipuri filmmaker Sunzu Bachuspatimayu, Alexander Leo Pou from NFDC–Kolkata, Canadian film critic Judy Gladstone, veteran filmmaker Premendra Majumdar, and film critic-journalist Christopher Dalton were felicitated.
As the auditorium erupted in cheers, reputed screenwriter-director Vijayendra Prasad felicitated Indian cinematographer-writer-director Madhu Ambat.
Main jury members—renowned film critic and author Maithili Rao, veteran actor-filmmaker Nasser, Indian director-screenwriter Nagesh Kukunoor, Assamese filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, and documentary filmmaker and content strategist Aarti Shreevastava—who adjudicated the official entries were also felicitated.
Iranian Consulate–Hyderabad Vice-Consul Mohsen Moghaddami received the awards on behalf of the winners.
Winners’ List
Top Prize: Sarnvesht (Iran) | Directed by Yaser Talebi
Second Prize: Toy Gun (North East, India) | Directed by Parshuram Thingam
Third Prize: My Father is Afraid of Water (India) | Directed by Prateek Rajendra Sreevastava
Special Jury Awards:
The Whistle (Iran) | Directed by Iraj Afshari Asl
Nyingma (India) | Directed by Liton Paul
Special DPSFS Award: A Night on the Footpath (India) | Directed by Bharat Duvvada
Certificates of Merit:
Sweet Moon (India) | Directed by Mayur Prakash Kulkarni
Holy Water (Iran) | Directed by Esmail Ramezani, Marziyeh Bani Ali
Collage (Spain) | Directed by Marius Cornotto
Thunai (India) | Directed by Vignesh Paramasivam
Body Dya Body (India) | Directed by Sourav Brahma
Panel Discussion on Challenges in Contemporary Filmmaking Earlier in the day, the festival hosted a brainstorming session on the challenges in modern filmmaking. The panel comprised Nasser, Maithili Rao, Aarti Shreevastava, and Shashi Kumar from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. Veteran filmmaker and HISFF Organising Committee Patron Uma Maheshwara Rao moderated the session.
Reflecting on the evolution of cinema, Nasser recalled how filmmaking in the 1980s revolved largely around negatives, admitting that he was initially uncomfortable with digitisation. “Over the years, I realised that while anyone can handle technology, the real challenge lies in producing impactful content,” he said. Addressing concerns about Artificial Intelligence replacing human jobs, Nasser observed that AI cannot generate sub-stories and comedy—hallmarks of Indian popular cinema—nor can it replicate human emotion. “Everything ultimately comes down to pain, and AI cannot feel it,” he added.
Shashi Kumar highlighted pre-censorship and the growing intolerance towards freedom of expression, including creative freedom, as major challenges facing filmmakers today. He cited the Indian government’s ban on 19 films, including Battleship of Potemkin (1925) and Beef, at the Kerala Film Festival as a glaring example. “Interestingly, some of the best world cinema has emerged from regions under authoritarianism,” he observed. Maithili Rao reminisced about a time when India produced anti-government films with institutional support from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). “Today, creative freedom is being curtailed in the name of undeclared censorship,” she said.
Drawing from her 15 years of experience as a content strategist, Aarti Shreevastava explained how the social media boom is redefining cinema. “The word ‘cinema’ has been replaced by ‘content’. We no longer merely create content; we design it. Ultimately, it is about adaptability and producing meaningful work that endures,” she noted. The final day also featured special short films as part of the ‘Retrospective Screenings’ and interactive sessions that enabled filmmakers and organisers to engage directly with audiences.
With a strong international line-up, rigorous curation, and thoughtful dialogue on the future of cinema, HISFF 2025 concluded on a high note, reinforcing its role as a significant platform for independent filmmakers and alternative voices in global cinema.
