#IFFIWood, 25 November 2025

The Cinema AI Hackathon 2025, conducted under the Waves Film Bazaar, celebrates the dynamic intersection of art, technology, and ethics in filmmaking. The platform encourages creators worldwide to push the boundaries of storytelling using AI-driven tools for scriptwriting, video generation, editing, and production—while maintaining responsibility, transparency, and authenticity in creative output.

The winners of five awards instituted to recognise excellence across key creative and technical dimensions are as follows:

1. Best AI Film award was presented to Team Kalpnk’s Hindi language film ‘My Red Crayon’ directed by Aayush Raj
2. Most Innovative Use of AI award was presented to Team Atomeist’s English language film ‘REMORY’ directed by Keyur Kajavadara.
3. Best Storytelling award was presented to Samresh Shrivastav & Yagya Priya Gautam’s Hindi language film ‘Lost and Found’ directed by Samresh Shrivastav.
4. Best Visuals award was presented to Team Indywood & Wonderwall Media Network’s English language film ‘BEING’ directed by Sumesh Lal.
5. Best Sound/Music Design award was presented to Rajesh Bhosle’s English language film ‘Monsoon Echo’

The hackathon followed a two-stage fully online format. Individuals or teams (up to five members) were invited to submit previously created AI-based film content (2–10 minutes) as part of the 1^st Stage.

The entries opened from November 1 to November 12, 2025, and the response was remarkable, as over 180 submissions were received. After a thorough evaluation by the selection committees, 14 teams were shortlisted to participate in the 48-hour final challenge.

In the 2^nd Stage, participants were given the theme: Memories Reimagined. The objective was to create a 60–120 second cinematic story that uses AI to reinterpret a deeply personal memory, blending realism with imagination to offer an emotionally resonant narrative.

The 48-hour challenge ran from 4:00 PM IST on November 20 to 4:00 PM IST on November 22, 2025.

Jury Panel – Cinema AI Hackathon 2025

The Jury Panel consists of Shri Shekhar Kapur — IFFI Festival Director, Director and Producer; Shri Ramdas Naidu — Producer, Director; Shri Ashwin Kumar — Director, Animator; Ms Asha Batra — Film Historian, Indian Cinema Heritage Foundation; Dr. Sujay Sen — Executive Vice President & Global Head – Interactive Services, LTIMindtree; Ms. Nayna Raut — Senior Director – Design Strategy & CraftStudio, Interactive Services, LTIMindtree; Shri Dibyendu Halder — Executive Vice President & Chief Business Officer – Communications, Media & Entertainment, LTIMindtree;  and Ms. Neha Kathuria — Chief Marketing Officer, LTIMindtree.

The jury expressed immense appreciation for the exceptional quality and creativity of the films produced in this short time frame, highlighting the originality, technical skill, and emotional depth demonstrated by the participants.

The Cinema AI Hackathon 2025 stands as a landmark initiative, showcasing the transformative potential of AI in filmmaking and opening new horizons for the next generation of storytellers.

About IFFI:

Born in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands tall as South Asia’s oldest and largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), State Government of Goa, the festival has grown into a global cinematic powerhouse—where restored classics meet bold experiments, and legendary maestros share space with fearless first-timers. What makes IFFI truly sparkle is its electric mix—international competitions, cultural showcases, masterclasses, tributes, and the high-energy WAVES Film Bazaar, where ideas, deals and collaborations take flight. Staged against Goa’s stunning coastal backdrop from November 20–28, the 56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices—an immersive celebration of India’s creative brilliance on the world stage.

For more information, click on:

IFFI Website: https://www.iffigoa.org/

PIB’s IFFI Microsite: https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56/

PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F

X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB_India, @PIB_Panaji

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Ritu Shukla/Santosh Venkatraman/Sriyanka Chatterjee/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 - 078