Student Film Awards
Student
Fashion Film
Awards.
An international student moving-image competition held as part of IFFTI 2027. Shortlisted films are screened at Pearl Academy Mumbai during the conference, with awards presented on the closing day. Entry is free and open to students worldwide.
About the Awards
Films that
co-create
futures.
Fashion film is where garment, body, place and technology meet — and where students often say what an essay cannot. The IFFTI 2027 Student Fashion Film Awards invite that work onto an international stage.
Entries should respond to the conference theme, Co-Creating Futures: Shaping Fashion Through Shared Imagination, and to at least one of its four sub-themes: plural ways of being human; capability, care and creativity; regenerative systems and economies; and co-agency with instruments and technologies.
We are looking for films that argue something — about who fashion is for, who makes it, what it costs, and what it could become. Polish matters, but a clear idea filmed honestly will always travel further than a beautiful film with nothing to say.
Shortlisted work is screened in the official conference programme in Mumbai, published in the online showcase, and receives written feedback from the jury.
Who Can Enter
Students worldwide
Film Length
60 seconds – 5 minutes
Entries Per Person
Up to 2 films
Categories
6 competition strands
Screening
Pearl Academy, Mumbai
Competition Strands
Six
Categories.
Choose the single category that best fits your film. If a film could sit in two, pick the one that matches its central argument — the jury will move entries if a strand is clearly a better fit.
01
Fashion Film
Garment-led narrative or mood films where clothing drives the story. Collection films, lookbook films and character-driven shorts all belong here.
NarrativeStylingCollectionDirection
02
Documentary & Craft Story
Films that follow makers, artisans, workers and communities. Portraits of craft clusters, supply chains, ateliers and the people whose labour fashion depends on.
CraftLabourCommunityHeritage
03
Experimental Moving Image
Work that pushes form — abstraction, animation, collage, installation documentation, screen-based performance and other non-narrative approaches.
AbstractionAnimationPerformanceForm
04
Regenerative Futures
Films about circularity, repair, waste, material innovation and ecological repair — showing what a life-centred fashion system could actually look like.
CircularityRepairMaterialsEcology
05
Technology & Co-Agency
Films made with, about or in negotiation with technology — AI, generative tools, wearables, virtual production, smart textiles and digital fashion.
AIDigital FashionWearablesVirtual Production
06
Identity, Body & Culture
Films on representation, gender, disability, size, migration, faith and belonging — plural ways of being human, told through dress.
RepresentationGenderAccessBelonging
Eligibility
Who Can Enter.
01
Students worldwide. Open to students currently enrolled at any IFFTI member institution and at any accredited fashion, design, art, media or film school.
02
Recent graduates. You may enter if you graduated no earlier than 1 September 2025, provided the film was made as part of, or during, your studies.
03
Individuals or teams. Teams of up to five are welcome. Nominate one lead contact for all correspondence; every credited team member must meet the eligibility rules.
04
Completion date. Films must have been completed on or after 1 January 2025. Previously screened or awarded films are eligible provided the rights are yours to grant.
05
Two entries maximum. Each entrant may submit up to two films, in different categories. Submit each film separately.
06
Language. Films in any language are welcome. Any film with non-English dialogue or narration must include English subtitles.
07
Original work. Entries must be substantially your own. All music, archive and third-party footage must be cleared or licensed, and credited.
08
Faculty endorsement. One named faculty member from your institution must confirm your student status at the point of submission.
09
No entry fee. Submitting a film is free and does not require conference registration.
10
Attendance. Shortlisted filmmakers are encouraged, but not required, to attend the Mumbai screening. Concessionary delegate rates will be confirmed with the shortlist.
Key Dates
1 Sep 2026
Submissions Open
27 Nov 2026
Submission Deadline
29 Jan 2027
Shortlist Announced
15–19 Mar 2027
Screening & Awards
The submission portal opens 1 September 2026. Before then, this link takes you to the IFFTI 2027 event page.
Technical Specifications
Deliverables.
Entries that miss these specifications may not screen well in the conference auditorium. If something here is genuinely impossible for your film, write to us before the deadline rather than after it.
Duration
60 seconds to 5 minutes, including titles and credits. Experimental Moving Image entries may run to 8 minutes.
File Format
MP4 (H.264/H.265) or MOV (ProRes 422). Bitrate 20 Mbps or higher for HD.
Resolution
Minimum 1920 × 1080. 4K (3840 × 2160) accepted and preferred where available.
Frame Rate
Constant 24, 25 or 30 fps. Avoid variable frame rate exports from phones.
Aspect Ratio
16:9 preferred. Vertical 9:16 is accepted in the Fashion Film and Technology strands only.
Audio
Stereo, normalised between −23 and −14 LUFS, no clipping. Silent films are welcome and will not be penalised.
Subtitles
English subtitles required for all non-English dialogue — burned in, or supplied as a separate .srt file.
File Size
Up to 4 GB per film.
File Naming
Category_Institution_LeadSurname_FilmTitle — for example 04_PearlAcademy_Nair_ThreadCount.mp4
Delivery
An unlisted Vimeo or YouTube link (no password, or password supplied) plus a downloadable master file.
Stills
Three high-resolution stills, minimum 1920 px on the long edge, JPG or PNG, for the programme and showcase.
Written Material
A 150-word synopsis, a 100-word director's statement, a full credit list, and your chosen sub-theme.
AI Disclosure
If generative tools were used at any stage — image, video, sound, script or edit — say where and how, in one short paragraph. Disclosure is not a penalty; undisclosed use is grounds for disqualification.
Judging
How Films
Are Judged.
Every eligible entry is reviewed by at least two jurors drawn from IFFTI member institutions, the Indian film and fashion industries, and Pearl Academy faculty. Shortlisted films go to a full jury panel.
Concept & Theme Response
30%
How clearly and intelligently the film engages the conference theme and its chosen sub-theme. Is there a real idea here, and does the film commit to it?
Direction, cinematography, styling, editing and sound working together. Judged relative to the resources available, not to budget.
A distinct voice and an approach we have not already seen ten times this year. Risk-taking is rewarded, including risk that does not fully land.
How people, communities, materials and places on screen are treated — consent, credit, accuracy and the absence of extractive storytelling.
Submissions Open
1 September
2026
The online portal goes live. Early submission is encouraged — the platform is busiest in the final 48 hours.
Submission Deadline
27 November
2026
Closes 23:59 IST. This matches the full-paper deadline for the main conference. No extensions are planned.
Shortlist Announced
29 January
2027
All entrants are notified by email. Shortlisted films are published in the online showcase and enter the screening programme.
Screening & Awards
15–19 March
2027
Screenings run across the conference at Pearl Academy Mumbai. Awards are presented at the closing ceremony on 19 March.
Recognition
What Winners
Receive.
Prize values are being confirmed with conference partners and will be published alongside the shortlist in January 2027.
Top Honour
Grand Jury Award
- One award across all six categories
- Presented at the closing ceremony, 19 March 2027
- Featured screening slot in the main auditorium
- Cash prize — value to be confirmed
- Complimentary delegate registration for the lead filmmaker
Six Awards
Category Winners
- One winner in each of the six strands
- Award certificate for every credited team member
- Screening in the official conference programme
- Written jury feedback on the film
- Permanent listing in the IFFTI 2027 online showcase
Additional
Special Mentions
- Jury Special Mentions across the shortlist
- Delegates' Choice Award, voted on site in Mumbai
- Emerging Voice Award for first-time filmmakers
- Certificates for all shortlisted entries
- Institutional acknowledgement to your school
Rights & Terms
The Fine
Print.
Short version: the film stays yours. We need permission to screen it and to promote the awards.
Who owns the film?
You do. Copyright and all moral rights remain with the filmmaker or filmmaking team at all times.
What licence are you granting?
By submitting, you grant IFFTI and Pearl Academy a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to screen the film at IFFTI 2027, to host it in the online showcase, and to use short extracts and stills for non-commercial promotion of the awards and the conference. You are always credited.
Music, archive and third-party footage
Clearance is your responsibility. Submitting the film confirms you hold the rights, or a valid licence, for every element in it — including music. Uncleared commercial tracks are the single most common reason a strong film cannot be screened.
Consent and safeguarding
Anyone identifiable on camera must have consented to appear and to be screened publicly. Where you have filmed in workshops, factories, homes or craft clusters, you must have permission from the people and the site. Films involving participants under 18 require documented guardian consent.
Generative AI
AI-assisted and AI-generated work is welcome, particularly in the Technology & Co-Agency strand. Disclose what you used and where. Films that pass off generated material as documentary footage of real people, places or labour will be disqualified.
Content and care
Difficult subject matter is entirely acceptable — gratuitous harm, hate speech and non-consensual imagery are not. Flag sensitive content in your submission so screenings can carry an appropriate advisory.
Jury decisions
The jury's decisions are final, and no individual scores are released. Every shortlisted entrant receives written feedback; the organisers do not enter into correspondence about non-shortlisted entries.
Questions
Frequently
Asked.
Do I have to attend the conference to enter?
No. Entry is free and independent of registration. If your film is shortlisted you are warmly encouraged to come to Mumbai, and a concessionary student rate will be offered, but your film will screen whether or not you can travel.
Can I submit a film made for a course assignment?
Yes — most entries are coursework. The only requirements are that the work is substantially yours, that it was completed on or after 1 January 2025, and that your institution is happy for it to be screened.
My film has already screened at another festival. Is that a problem?
Not at all, as long as you still hold the rights to grant a screening licence. Check any exclusivity clauses in agreements you have already signed.
I shot it on a phone. Is that good enough?
Yes, provided you export at 1920 × 1080 or higher at a constant frame rate. Craft is judged relative to available resources — the jury is looking for thinking, not equipment.
Can a team from two different institutions enter together?
Yes. Cross-institution collaboration fits the theme particularly well. Nominate one lead contact and list every institution in your credits; each member needs to meet the student eligibility rule.
What if my film is longer than five minutes?
Submit an edit that fits the limit. Only Experimental Moving Image entries may run to eight minutes. Over-length films in other strands are not passed to the jury.
How do I pick between two categories?
Choose the one that matches the film's central argument rather than its visual style. A documentary about a repair cooperative is Regenerative Futures if the subject is circularity, and Documentary & Craft Story if the subject is the people. The jury may reassign an entry if another strand clearly suits it better.
When and how will I hear back?
All entrants are notified by email on 29 January 2027, shortlisted or not. Add the conference address to your safe-senders list and check your spam folder that week.
Who do I contact with a question not answered here?
Email
iffti2027@pearlacademy.com with the subject line
IFFTI 2027 Student Film Awards. Please write before the deadline rather than after it.
Make it. Send it.
Screen it in Mumbai.
Submissions open 1 September 2026 and close at 23:59 IST on 27 November 2026. Entry is free, and every entrant hears back on 29 January 2027.
