The inaugural edition of The Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ) brought together several prominent names from Indian cinema, including Nawazuddin Siddiqui, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and screen legend Waheeda Rehman. Held across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch from October 22 to 26, 2026, the festival featured over 30 films across 12 languages, highlighting independent filmmaking and stories exploring female-driven, queer and anti-caste narratives.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui appeared on Day 3 for an exclusive panel discussion titled Lights, Camera, Action! alongside Anurag Kashyap. The session explored their creative journeys, collaborations, approaches to performance and storytelling, as well as the changing landscape of independent Indian cinema. The two filmmakers also presented honours at the festival’s awards ceremony on Sunday, October 25.
Female independent filmmakers received significant recognition at the inaugural edition. Vinnie Ann Bose’s animated short Sulaimani won Best Film from the international jury in the shorts competition, while Shuchi Talati’s Hidden Sun received a Special Mention.
The jury praised Sulaimani for its sensitive portrayal of two immigrant women in France and the way its form and narrative brought together questions of identity, belonging and the relationship between past and present. In its citation, the jury said, "A chance encounter takes us on a journey through the interiority of two immigrant women in France. With a delicate touch, the film brings to light the constant negotiation of identity one needs to make when one has adopted a new country as their home. Rarely does a film’s form and narrative work so seamlessly, creating a tapestry of interconnected threads of the past and the present. This beautiful animation film, crafted with tenderness towards both the women protagonists, unanimously moved us."
The jury also recognised Hidden Sun for its treatment of intimate relationships and the complexities of desire. Its citation read, "Shuchi Talati’s tender, quiet and emotionally curious short takes some of the most unfilmable conflicts – like marital decay and the mundanity of desire – and places them within a culturally specific and universally shared framework at once. The Japan-based tale defies the template of rekindled love: well-performed and almost meditative in its treading of familiar terrain. It begins with a dance, but ends with the sort of narrative sigh that this medium often struggles to capture."
The international jury comprised Cannes-winning filmmaker Payal Kapadia, Māori filmmaker Julian Arahanga, writer-director-producer Paula Whetu Jones, film critic Rahul Desai and award-winning producer Paula Jones.
Another major highlight was Waheeda Rehman’s appearance as Guest of Honour at a special screening of the newly restored 4K version of Teesri Kasam (1966), presented in partnership with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) to mark the film’s 60th anniversary. The festival also screened a 4K restoration of Pakeezah (1972), presented by the Film Heritage Foundation.
Speaking about the screening and her first visit to New Zealand, Rehman said, “Teesri Kasam is very close to my heart. I thank the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand for choosing to show this film and for inviting me. I’m delighted to be in New Zealand for the very first time and to share this beloved film with a new audience in its 60th anniversary year,”
With screenings, masterclasses, workshops and panel discussions, TIFFNZ sought to connect Indian cinema with audiences in Aotearoa and create opportunities for cultural exchange through storytelling. The festival’s inaugural edition brought established industry figures and emerging filmmakers together, placing a spotlight on both celebrated classics and contemporary independent voices.
Meanwhile, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is set to appear in Tumbbad 2, the upcoming sequel to the cult fantasy horror film Tumbbad.
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