Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): The two-day Ujjaini Short Film Festival-2026 opened at Swarna Jayanti Auditorium of Samrat Vikramaditya Vishwavidyalaya, Ujjain (SVVU), showcasing cinema celebrating Indian culture, history, folk traditions and social concerns.
Jointly organised by Vishwa Samvad Kendra Malwa and SVVU, the festival features 35 films selected by an expert jury from 232 domestic submissions and eight international entries.
Pragya Pravah all-India convener J Nandakumar and actor-theatre artiste Sanjay Mehta attended as principal guests. Vishwa Samvad Kendra Malwa president Dinesh Chandra Gupta and SVVU's Dr Uma Sharma were present.
Nandakumar described cinema as a powerful medium for preserving cultural memories and urged young filmmakers to create meaningful stories rooted in Indian traditions.
Mehta highlighted filmmaking, screenwriting, acting and emerging technologies, emphasising short films' ability to deliver impactful social messages.
First-day masterclasses featured Kamakhya Narayan Singh on production and direction, Shailesh Pratap Singh on 'Story to Script', Vijay Vikram Singh on voice and acting, and Dilip Lokre on short filmmaking.
The inaugural ceremony began with lamp-lighting before Bharat Mata's portrait. Nitin Garud, Rakesh Sharma and Sushil Kumar Sharma welcomed guests with stoles and mementoes.
Ranjan and Khushboo Parmar conducted proceedings, while Kendra secretary Pranav Paithankar presented the programme and organisation's activities.
On Oct 25, sessions will cover independent music, with film critic Deepak Dua discussing 'How to See Cinema', actor Rajesh Tailang addressing theatre, cinema and OTT, and actress Bhasha Sumbli conducting a masterclass on acting.
The festival also features special sessions on filmmaking across both days.
