Pune International Film Festival 2026: Full Schedule, Guru Dutt Centenary Tribute, and Must-Watch Oscar Films
Pune is set to transform into a global celluloid hub as the 24th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) 2026 kicks off from January 15, bringing a curated selection of Oscar-shortlisted masterpieces and a grand tribute to the legendary Guru Dutt.
Organized jointly by the Pune Film Foundation and the Government of Maharashtra, the eight-day festival will run until January 22, 2026. This year, the festival takes on a poignant historical note, centering its theme on the Guru Dutt birth centenary, celebrating the man who redefined visual poetry in Indian cinema.
PIFF 2026 Schedule and Venue Details
The festival will be hosted across 10 screens in Pune, ensuring wide accessibility for cinephiles. The screenings are concentrated at:
- PVR, Pavilion Mall (Senapati Bapat Road) – 6 screens
- E-Square, University Road – 3 screens
- NFDC-NFAI, Law College Road – 1 screen
While online registration is active on the official website piffindia.com, spot registrations opened on January 5 at the respective venues. The catalogue fee is fixed at ₹800.
Get the full schedule of the film festival here
Celebrating the Guru Dutt Birth Centenary
Festival Director Dr. Jabbar Patel emphasized that the 24th edition is a deep dive into the “melancholic maverick’s” connection with Pune’s Prabhat Studio. Along with the Guru Dutt 100 years tribute, the festival will also honor the centenaries of Ritwik Ghatak and the 125th birth anniversary of V. Shantaram.
To further honor the industry’s stalwarts, the PIFF Distinguished Awards will be conferred upon veteran actors Biswajit Chatterjee, Farida Jalal, and Asha Kale. Additionally, the S.D. Burman International Award for Music will be presented to the renowned music arranger Amar Haldipur.
Global Cinema: From Cannes to the Oscars
The 2026 lineup is arguably the strongest in PIFF’s history, featuring 140 films from 103 countries.
- Opening Film: La Grazia (Italy), directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
- Closing Film: Father, Mother, Sister, Brother (USA/France), directed by Jim Jarmusch.
A major highlight is the screening of nine films currently on the Oscar shortlist, including Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value and Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident.
Maharashtra Government Sant Tukaram Award
The prestigious World Competition section features 14 shortlisted films vying for the Maharashtra Government Sant Tukaram Award, which carries a cash prize of ₹10 lakh. Notable entries include All That’s Left of You (Palestine) and The Elysian Fields (India).
Marathi Cinema Today: A Local Powerhouse
The “Marathi Cinema Today” section will see seven films competing for a ₹5 lakh prize. Highly anticipated titles include:
- Toh, Ti Ani Fuji (Mohit Takalkar)
- Mayasabha (Rahi Anil Barve)
- Gondhal (Santosh Dawkhar)
The festival will also feature the Vijay Tendulkar Memorial Lecture by writer B. Jeyamohan, bridging the gap between literature and the silver screen.
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