Rules & Regulations

• The competition is open to filmmakers from India and other countries.
• Films must be original works by the applicant or submitted with all the necessary rights and permissions.
• Films must have been completed within the last five years.

The competition accepts

• Documentary Films (Long): Category I — Duration: Under 40 minutes
• Documentary Films (Short): Category II — Duration: Above 40 minutes
• Animation Films — Any duration
• Student Films (Note: Please check the rules for this section)

• Films should explore themes related to forests, wildlife, biodiversity, the environment, conservation, climate, indigenous communities, nature, or sustainability, and create environmental awareness.
• Films in languages other than English must have English subtitles.

• Applicants must submit their films via the festival's designated online submission platform or via Film Freeway.

Where applicable, applicants should provide

• Film title
• Synopsis (maximum 300 words)
• A director's note (150 words maximum)
• A director's biography (500 words maximum, please include social media handles if possible)
• Producer's biography (500 words maximum, please include social media handles if possible)
• Poster (JPEG, PDF files within 10 MB size)
• Film stills (JPEG, max 5, within 20 MB)
• Trailer (MP4, MOV formats within 1.5 GB file size)
• Screening link / file
• Technical information

• We request that all participating filmmakers submit a synopsis, a director's note, a director's bio, and a producer's bio in English (mandatory) and Hindi (if possible). The festival may request additional materials from selected filmmakers.

• There is no entry fee.
• Each filmmaker may submit a maximum of two films.
• Last date for film submission: 20 October 2026.
• Late submissions may be accepted at the discretion of the festival organiser.
• Submission does not guarantee selection.

• Films will be reviewed and selected by the festival's Selection Committee.
• The decision of the Selection Committee will be final.
• Being selected for screening does not guarantee an award.
• The festival reserves the right to reject films that do not meet the eligibility, thematic, or technical requirements. Due to the limited size of our team, not all rejected films will receive individual notification.

• Selected films will be screened during the festival.
• The festival will decide the screening date, time, and venue.
• The festival may change the screening schedule if necessary.
• Selected filmmakers must provide the final screening copy in the required format by the specified deadline.

The Competition will present five awards:

• Best Documentary Award (Long)
• Best Documentary Award (Short)
• Best Animation Film
• Best Student Film
• Special Jury Award

• The decision of the Jury will be final.

• ARANYAK may invite or accept films for its curated / non-competition section.
• Films may include feature films, fiction films, documentaries, animations, and other films that fit the festival's themes and objective.
• These films will not compete for the festival's competitive awards.
• Selected films will receive an Official Selection Certificate.
• The final selection and screening schedule will be decided by the festival's programming and curatorial team.

• The applicant must own the film or have the necessary rights and permissions to submit and screen it.
• The applicant is responsible for obtaining permission for all music, footage, photographs, artwork, trademarks, and other copyrighted material used in the film.
• The festival organisers will not be responsible for any copyright or other legal disputes arising from a submitted film.

• By submitting a film, the filmmaker grants ARANYAK permission to use the film's title, poster, stills, trailer, and short clips / excerpts for the non-commercial promotion of the festival.

This may include

• Festival website
• Social media
• Press and publicity
• Festival presentations
• The official festival YouTube channel

• For selected films, the filmmaker also permits ARANYAK to upload trailers, short clips, or excerpts to the festival's official social media channels for promotional and educational purposes.
• The filmmaker retains full ownership and copyright of the film. This permission does not transfer copyright or ownership to ARANYAK.

• The festival reserves the right to reject films containing unlawful, defamatory, hateful, or seriously objectionable content.
• Films containing explicit material, animal cruelty, or other sensitive content may be reviewed by the festival before selection. Films should contain disclaimers regarding sensitive content in accordance with the CBF guidelines.
• The final decision regarding suitability for screening rests with the festival.

• A filmmaker may request the withdrawal of a film before the final festival programme is announced.
• After the programme has been announced, withdrawal will normally not be permitted except in exceptional circumstances and at the festival's discretion.

Information provided by filmmakers may be used for

• Film registration
• Festival communication
• Film selection and programming
• Festival administration
• Festival publicity

• Personal information will not be shared with third parties except where required by law or necessary for festival operations.

• The festival reserves the right to postpone or change the venue, modify the programme, or cancel the festival due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, government restrictions, public safety concerns, or other force majeure events.

• Submitting a film to ARANYAK — Jharkhand Forest Film Festival constitutes the applicant's acceptance of these rules & regulations.
• The festival reserves the right to amend these rules where necessary. Any significant changes will be communicated through the official festival website.