Redrawing India’s cinematic future
As the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) came to a close in Goa, there was a sense that something larger than the event itself had just taken place.
One of the most compelling highlights of the 18th edition of the Habitat Film Festival 2026, which concludes on Sunday, was a Bengali cinema showcase that brought together an evocative mix of restored classics and contemporary independent voices shaped by memory, displacement, identity and social realities.
Held from May 15 to 24 at the India Habitat Centre, HFF 2026 celebrated 10 days of cinema spanning 20 languages and featuring some of the finest films from 2025–26. The festival continued its legacy as one of India’s most vibrant platforms for cinematic expression.
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This year’s edition presented a rich tapestry of storytelling — from painstakingly restored classics by legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak to bold contemporary voices emerging from Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Assam and beyond. The festival honoured the golden era of parallel cinema while embracing a new wave of independent, digital-first storytellers.
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A major highlight of the Bengali showcase was a special retrospective dedicated to Ritwik Ghatak, featuring landmark films such as Meghe Dhaka Tara, Komal Gandhar, Subarnarekha and Jukti Takko Aar Gappo. These cinematic masterpieces continue to resonate through their deeply human exploration of Partition, belonging and cultural fragmentation.
Alongside these classics, contemporary Bengali cinema presented equally powerful narratives rooted in lived experience and emotional intimacy. Baksho Bondi offered a layered portrait of confinement and resilience, while Porshi explored fragile human relationships and social tensions within urban spaces.
Dear Maa unfolded as an intimate emotional journey centred around family and memory, while Adamya reflected courage and perseverance in the face of adversity. Films such as Moti, You in This City, This City Inside You and Under the Jackfruit Tree further enriched the showcase with nuanced storytelling, poetic visual language and deeply personal reflections on identity, loneliness and belonging.
Speaking on the occasion, Director of India Habitat Centre KG Suresh said, “The 18th edition of the Habitat Film Festival has once again demonstrated the enduring power of cinema to connect, challenge and inspire. From timeless classics to fearless contemporary storytelling, HFF continues to create a meaningful space where audiences engage deeply with India’s evolving cinematic landscape.”
The festival also featured a curated showcase of short films and documentaries from the Film and Television Institute of India, a special package by the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association, works nominated by the Film Critics Guild, and documentaries by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust, foregrounding intimate and independent voices.
A special exhibition organised in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts showcased iconic Hindi film posters from the 1950s onwards, alongside rare vintage advertising posters and brand endorsements featuring legendary film personalities across generations.
The festival also hosted engaging conversations and masterclasses with noted figures from the worlds of cinema and animation. Two-time National Award-winning filmmaker Kamakhya Narayan Singh conducted a masterclass titled From Research to Reel: Crafting Feature Film Stories.
More than just a film festival, HFF emerged as a vibrant cultural movement — an evolving ecosystem where cinema not only reflects the present but also imagines and shapes the future. Built around collective viewing and shared discovery, the festival remains a cherished annual gathering for students, critics, filmmakers and cinephiles passionate about meaningful engagement with India’s diverse cinematic landscape.
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