Imphal: The third edition of the North East India Film Festival (NEIFF) 2026 will be held in Imphal on March 21 and 22, offering a platform for filmmakers from across the eight Northeastern states to showcase their works.
The announcement was made at a press conference in Imphal on Monday.
Chairman of the organising committee Y. Nilachandra Singh said the festival aims to bring together filmmakers from all eight states of the Northeast, including Sikkim. He noted that the festival has already completed two successful editions in 2024 and 2025, and the upcoming event will mark its third edition.
Singh said the dates for the festival were finalised only recently after the organisers received the required clearance from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
“This year the process took slightly longer as we needed clarification from sponsors and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The ministry granted approval in the first week of March, after which the dates were fixed for March 21 and 22,” he said.
Eight awards will be presented during the festival, each carrying a citation, statuette and cash prize. The categories include Best Feature Film, Best Non-Feature Film, Best Director (Feature Film), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Screenplay (Feature Film) and the Hon’ble Jury Award. The jury may also confer a Special Mention on a film or an individual.
Singh said the prize amount would not be lower than that of previous editions and there is a possibility that the cash award may be increased with support from the ministry.
The organisers said there will be no entry fee for film submissions in order to encourage wider participation. The last date for online application and submission of entries is March 19, 2026, until 5 p.m.
Festival convenor Robert Leisgangthem said keeping the registration process free is intended to attract more filmmakers from across the region.
DIPR Additional Director T. Ramesh Singh also appealed to film enthusiasts and the public to attend the screenings, noting that many rare films are often showcased only at film festivals and not in regular theatre releases.
The festival aims to encourage films with strong aesthetic and technical quality while highlighting socially relevant themes and the diverse cultural narratives of the Northeastern region. It will also provide a platform for filmmakers, directors, writers, editors, producers and cinematographers from the region to present their creative works and contribute to the growth of a vibrant regional film industry.
According to the organisers, the festival will be a competitive event for both feature and non-feature films produced in the Northeastern region and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
The festival will be held at Tanthapolis Cinema in Lamphel, Imphal. It is being organised by THOUNA, Manipur, in association with the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Government of Manipur, and the All Manipur Film Producers Association. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, and the National Film Development Corporation.
Filmmakers seeking further information on entry forms and festival guidelines can visit the official website neiffman.org.