Niri9 International Film Festival Ends on High Note
The festival featured an engaging panel discussion on the role of cinema in social change, with notable participants including Seema Biswas and festival director Dr Junmoni Devi Khaund, emphasizing independent filmmaking.
Two days of cinematic celebration came to a close as the third edition of the Niri9 International Film Festival concluded on a high note in Hyderabad on January 11, 2026, drawing filmmakers, artists and cinema lovers from across India and overseas.
Held on January 10 and 11 at Prasad Film Labs and Raj Bhavan Samskruti Auditorium, the festival emerged as a vibrant platform for creative exchange, showcasing a diverse slate of feature films, short films, shorter films and documentaries. The curated selection ranged from socially driven narratives to experimental and globally resonant storytelling, engaging audiences and sparking meaningful dialogue.
The Assamese feature film Juiphool won the Dr Zubeen Garg Memorial Best Feature Film Award, the festival’s most prestigious honour. Filmmaker Rajesh Touchriver was named Best Director for Dahini – The Witch, which also secured awards for cinematography, editing and make-up, making it one of the most decorated films of the festival.
The closing ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Shri M Dana Kishore, IAS, Special Chief Secretary to the Governor, who graced the event as Chief Guest, and Smt C Priyanka, Managing Director of the Telangana Film Development Corporation, as Special Guest. Other prominent personalities present included senior director and National Film Awards chairman VN Aditya, actor-director Ashok Kumar and Ajitah Surabhi, Principal of SVFFA.
One of the key highlights of the festival was an in-depth panel discussion on Day 2, which explored cinema as a tool for social change, independent filmmaking, representation and the evolving digital storytelling landscape. The panel featured actors, filmmakers and academicians, including Seema Biswas, Carlyta Mouhini, Manoj Nandwana, Jadumoni Dutta, Dr Padmini Nagulapalli, Satish, Y Ravi Shankar and festival director Dr Junmoni Devi Khaund, and was moderated by social activist Sunitha Krishnan. The discussion also touched upon film production, co-production and distribution at national and global levels.
In the feature film category, Ghar won the Second Best Feature Film award, followed by Dahini – The Witch as Third Best Feature Film. Kuhipath received the Jury Special Award. Bishnu Khargoria and Akanksha Yadav were named Best Actor (Male) and Best Actor (Female) respectively, while child artistes Nihar Kashyap, Sanidul Islam and Manik Ali were jointly recognised for Kuhipath.
Niri9 International Film Festival 3rd edition closing ceremony
In the short film section, Character won Best Short Film, with Abaseshot and Manitha Subhvam securing second and third positions respectively. The shorter films category saw That Ugly Green Planet winning the top honour. Among documentaries, Golden Thread was adjudged Best Documentary Film.
Speaking at the valedictory ceremony, festival director Dr Junmoni Devi Khaund said the festival reaffirmed the belief that cinema can connect cultures, challenge perspectives and create lasting impact, and thanked participants, jury members, partners, volunteers and audiences for their support.
An initiative of NIRI 9, an OTT platform under NIRI Media (OPC) Private Limited, Guwahati, the Niri9 International Film Festival continues to position itself as an important cultural forum for independent and socially conscious cinema. Members of the film fraternity in Hyderabad lauded the festival’s efforts to connect with pan-India audiences and expressed interest in future collaborations, signalling a strong and growing footprint for the platform in the Indian film landscape.