MoTA, Jharkhand Announce National-Level Tribal Film Festival

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority, and Backward Class Welfare, Government of Jharkhand, has announced the first Dharti Aaba Tribal Film Festival (DATFF). The inaugural edition of this national-level event will be held at Dr Ramdayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute (TRI), Ranchi.

The festival is open to filmmakers, animators, and storytellers from across India whose work explores tribal life and issues. Entries must reflect one or more of the seven core themes: Identity and Resistance; Indigenous Wisdom and Knowledge Systems; Tribal Philosophy and Environmental Consciousness; Tribal Art, Culture and Aesthetics; Community Transformation; Empowerment Stories; and Biopics or Epics based on tribal figures.

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Eligible films must have been released after December 31, 2020, and should carry embedded English subtitles. Submissions are invited in six competitive categories: Fiction (above 60 minutes), Documentary (above 50 minutes), Short Documentary (5 to 50 minutes), Short Fiction (5 to 50 minutes), Animation (5 to 50 minutes), and New Media or Mobile Films (90 seconds to 5 minutes).

The last date for submission is September 10, 2025. Entries can be submitted through the official TRI Jharkhand website at: https://www.trijharkhand.in/en/datff

Officials stated that the festival aims to create a national platform to celebrate tribal voices through cinema and storytelling, while promoting dialogue around indigenous identity, heritage, and contemporary challenges.