Indie Filmmaking Challenge
Independent voices. Original stories. A funded pathway to your first feature.
Presented by ICMEG
Entry Fee ₹3,000 + Taxes per submission (non-refundable once registered)
The Indie Filmmaking Challenge 2026 is an independent filmmaking competition created to discover and recognize emerging filmmakers and original storytellers from across India — giving them a shot in front of an industry jury and a potentially career-changing opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win.
01About the Challenge
- Independent filmmaking competition open to filmmakers across India
- No theme — bring your own original story
- Professional jury-based scoring across nine criteria
- Top 3 winners share ₹2,20,000 in cash prizes
- Top 3 winners also get a funded opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win
02Timeline
- NowRegistration open
- November 6, 2026Final submission deadline
- After deadlineEligibility screening, then jury evaluation
- 27–28 November 2026Awards at Create India IP Summit
03Eligibility & Format
Runtime
- Minimum: 35 minutes
- Maximum: 60 minutes
- Films outside this window will not be considered
Production Period
- Film must have been made and completed between January 1, 2025 and November 6, 2026
- Proof of production period may be requested (BTS material, dated footage/metadata, project files, festival records, etc.)
Language
- Any Indian language accepted
- English subtitles mandatory if not in English
Participant Categories
- Open to filmmakers across India — no age or experience restriction
- Individual and team submissions permitted
- One film per participant/team
Rights & Content
- Applicants must own all rights (music, visuals, performances)
- Films must be original work
04Technical Requirements
- 4K resolution or higher
- Accepted formats: MP4 or MOV
- Good picture and sound quality, suitable for screening
- Shortlisted participants may be asked for a higher-quality screening copy
05Online Availability
- The full film must not be publicly available on YouTube or any other public video-sharing platform at the time of submission
- Films whose digital/online rights are already owned by a YouTube channel, OTT platform, production house, or distributor are not eligible
- Participants must not make the full film publicly available online until judging is complete
- Private/unlisted links are fine for submission
06Content Restrictions
Heavy Violence & Bloodshed
- No excessive graphic violence, extreme gore, or heavy bloodshed as the film’s primary attraction
Political Content
- Films must not primarily promote, endorse, or campaign for/against a political party, organization, candidate, or ideology
Abusive Language
- No heavy or excessive use of abusive, vulgar, or offensive language
Other
- No unlawful, hateful, discriminatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise highly inappropriate content
Organizers and jury have final discretion on whether a film violates these guidelines.
07Judging Criteria
- Storytelling
- Direction
- Screenplay
- Performances
- Cinematography
- Editing
- Sound Design
- Originality
- Overall Impact
08Selection Process
- All submissions undergo an initial eligibility screening
- Films that don’t meet the submission requirements may be rejected before reaching the jury
- Eligible films are evaluated by the appointed jury
- Shortlisted films may undergo additional screening if required
- The jury’s decision is final and binding
09Prizes & ETV Win Feature Film Opportunity
🥇 First Prize
- ₹1,00,000 cash prize
- Opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win, fully funded by ETV Win
🥈 Second Prize
- ₹70,000 cash prize
- Opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win, fully funded by ETV Win
🥉 Third Prize
- ₹50,000 cash prize
- Opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win, fully funded by ETV Win
The feature-film opportunity is non-transferable and subject to ETV Win’s development, production, and contractual requirements. Winners must be available for meetings, script development, and production as required; if a winner is unable or unwilling to participate, the opportunity may pass to the next eligible participant.
10Disqualification
- Film does not meet the 35–60 minute duration requirement
- Film was completed outside the January 1, 2025 – November 6, 2026 production window
- Satisfactory proof of production period isn’t provided when requested
- Submitted after November 6, 2026
- Registration information is false or misleading
- Film contains plagiarized or unauthorized copyrighted material
- Submission link is inaccessible
- Film is publicly available in full online during the competition period
- Film’s digital/online rights are already owned by a third party
- Film violates the content restrictions above
11Promotional Rights
- By submitting, participants grant organizers permission to use the film’s title, poster, trailer, stills, and short excerpts for challenge promotion
- This does not transfer ownership or copyright — filmmakers retain full ownership, subject to any separate agreement for the winning projects
- Full films will not be publicly screened without the filmmaker’s permission unless separately agreed
12Partners & Ecosystem
ICMEG
Lead ecosystem organizer, community mobilization, creator outreach
ETV Win
Jury participation, prize funding, feature-film opportunity for the Top 3 winners
ProducerBazaar
Production ecosystem support, talent networking, industry connections
IP Climb
Legal and IP guidance, rights and licensing support, creator protection
PB Casting
Talent discovery, representation services, industry networking, career development support
The Psychic Filmmaker
Storytelling and screenwriting education, filmmaking workshops and masterclasses, creator community
13FAQ
Filmmakers across India — individually or as a team. There’s no age or experience restriction, and each participant/team may submit only one film.
Between 35 and 60 minutes. Films outside that window will not be considered.
It needs to have been made and completed between January 1, 2025 and November 6, 2026. Proof of the production period may be requested.
No — this challenge has no assigned theme. Bring your own original story.
Any Indian language, with English subtitles required if the film isn’t in English.
No — the full film must not be publicly available on YouTube or any other public video-sharing platform at the time of submission, and must stay that way until judging is complete.
Yes — you retain full ownership. By submitting, you grant organisers permission to use the poster, trailer, stills, and short excerpts for promotional purposes.
Across nine criteria: Storytelling, Direction, Screenplay, Performances, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, Originality, and Overall Impact.
Cash prizes of ₹1,00,000 / ₹70,000 / ₹50,000 for 1st/2nd/3rd, plus a funded opportunity to direct a feature film with ETV Win.
November 6, 2026 — late submissions are not accepted.
Yes — ₹3,000 + Taxes per film entry, non-refundable once your submission is successfully registered.