Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF)

Overview

The Chennai International Film Festival is South India's most important film festival and the gateway to Tamil cinema internationally. Founded in 2003 and held annually in December in Chennai -- the capital of Tamil Nadu and the home of Kollywood, India's second-largest film industry -- the festival presents competitive international cinema alongside Tamil and South Indian film programming.

Chennai's Kollywood produces some 200 films annually in Tamil, making it one of the world's most prolific regional film industries. Tamil cinema has global reach through the large Tamil diaspora in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and across the world. The festival reflects this global Tamil cultural community alongside its international programming.

Tamil Nadu's ancient Dravidian culture, its classical arts traditions, and its political culture of regional identity have all found expression in its cinema, creating a film tradition with deep roots in cultural particularity.

Key Sections

• International Competition -- films competing for jury prizes
• Tamil Film Program -- new Tamil features
• South Indian Cinema -- films from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs

What Filmmakers Should Know

CIFF accepts open submissions. For Tamil filmmakers, the festival provides an important international platform for Kollywood production. For South Indian filmmakers broadly, the festival creates connections across the diverse South Indian film traditions.

Major Awards

• Best Film -- jury prize
• Best Tamil Film
• Audience Award

Festival History

CIFF was founded in 2003 and has operated as South India's most important international film event.

See Also

For South Indian cinema, see International Film Markets. For IFFI Goa, see International Film Festival of India.