Short film ‘The Fire...’ wins award as Chandigarh University fest ends

The Chandigarh University International Film Festival (CUIFF) 2026, the event’s fourth edition, concluded with the distribution of awards on Friday. Organised by the University Institute of Films and Visual Arts (UIFVA), the two-day event featured 383 films, including 11 international entries from Spain, the United Kingdom and Australia. The festival provided a platform for students and professionals to showcase work across categories such as short films, animation and films made using artificial intelligence.

Several industry professionals attended the final day to share their perspectives on the film industry. Veteran actor Makarand Deshpande served as the chief guest. “The true essence of theatre lies in expression, and drama is born from emotional tension; without it, there is no story,” he said, noting that cinema “challenges systems and provokes thought”.

Actor Rajesh Jais spoke to the students about their future careers. He told the audience, “Your responsibility is far greater when you are given more. Education is not only about personal gain but also about what you give back to society.”

Pawan Kumar Sharma, director and filmmaker and COO of Cinetatva Studio, discussed the direction of Indian filmmaking. “If Indian cinema truly wants to stand on a global stage, it must stop imitating and start reflecting its own roots,” he said, adding that film festivals were necessary because they “give voice to stories that would otherwise be lost”.

A jury of international experts named the winners, with ‘The Fire That Kept Its Promise’ winning the Best Short Film prize. ‘Yeh Hai Banaras’ was named the Best Animation Film, while ‘Shunya Astitva’ and ‘Jungle Kanya’ bagged the Best AI Film and the Best Documentary awards, respectively. Additional honours were given for VFX, showreels and ads.

(The writer is an intern with The Tribune)