Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 20 Jan: The inaugural edition of the Awaaz Suno Pahadon Ki Film Festival is set to be held from January 22 to January 28, 2026, in Doon. The festival will be inaugurated on January 22, 2026, by the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. This seven-day event will take place at the Auditorium of the Department of Culture, Ajabpur, and is poised to become a significant milestone in the cultural and cinematic landscape of the Himalayan region.
The festival is led by Festival Director Narendra Rauthan, a distinguished producer, director, writer, folk singer, and cultural activist from Uttarakhand. With over three decades of experience in music, film, television, and cultural programming, he has played a vital role in bringing regional cinema and folk culture to the national stage. As the founder of Sharda Swar Sangam, he has spearheaded several pioneering film, television, and cultural initiatives, including the nationally recognized platform Awaaz Suno Pahadon Ki. His commitment to independent creative voices and cultural preservation shapes the core vision of the festival.
The festival received an overwhelming global response, with 1,238 short and feature film entries from over 100 countries worldwide. The diversity and quality of submissions reflect the festival’s growing international reach and its dedication to showcasing powerful cinematic voices from varied geographical and cultural backgrounds.
Following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the festival’s selection committee, 98 films have been finalized for official selection. These films will compete across multiple categories, with 10 nominations in each category, highlighting excellence in storytelling, craft, and cinematic vision. The selected films represent a wide spectrum of themes, formats, and artistic approaches.
Official Selection Categories: Animation Short Film, Documentary Short Film, Experimental Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Feature Film and Documentary Feature Film.
The selection committee comprises experienced filmmakers and cultural professionals, including Shreesh Dobhal (known for acclaimed works such as Bhediya Dhasan (2024), Gadera (2024), and Raibar (2025)), along with Santosh Singh and Deepshikha Sharma. Together, the committee ensured a balanced, inclusive, and quality-driven selection process.
The Awaaz Suno Pahadon Ki Film Festival aims to provide a meaningful platform for filmmakers whose stories engage with social, cultural, environmental, and human concerns, while also celebrating artistic experimentation and cinematic excellence.
As its inaugural edition, the festival seeks to establish Dehradun as a vibrant hub for independent and regional cinema, fostering dialogue among filmmakers, audiences, and cultural practitioners from India and abroad. The festival will also be highly beneficial for students of film, media, and animation, as Dehradun is widely recognized as a major educational center. Through screenings, discussions, and interactions with industry professionals, students will gain valuable practical insights into contemporary cinema.
Over the course of the festival, film screenings, panel discussions, and cultural programs will be organized, bringing together filmmakers, industry experts, students, and cinema enthusiasts against the scenic and culturally rich backdrop of Uttarakhand.
Detailed information regarding the festival schedule, screenings, and related events will be announced soon.
Members Present at the Press Conference were Narendra Rathore, Balveer Singh Pawar, Hemant Kumar Thapliyal, Prashant, Santosh Rawat, Arun Farsi, Pooja Chauhan, Aarti Badola, Kaushalya Devi, Priyanshu Program, Manoj Daswani, Aman Nautiyal, Anand Singh Rawat.
