Jalgaon: The 5th International Devagiri Short Film Festival, jointly organised by the Ajanta Film Society, the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, and the KCE Society’s Kanh Lalit Kala Kendra, was held at M.J. College. More than 300 short films from India and abroad were submitted for the two-day festival, out of which 80 selected films were screened.
At the awards ceremony, the short film ‘7/12’, directed by Akshay Prakash Vaskar, won first place in the short film category and received the main award of the festival. In the documentary category, ‘The Lost Paradise’, directed by Avinash Shriram Shembatwad, secured first place.
The prestigious Devagiri Chitra Gaurav Puraskar was also presented during the ceremony in the presence of several dignitaries.
Award Winners
Main Short Film Category
1st: 7/12
2nd: Meera
3rd: Keki
Documentary Category
1st: The Lost Paradise
2nd: Tahanlela Data
Campus Film
1st: Nirvana
Children’s Film
1st: Wheels
Individual Awards
Best Director: Akshay Chandrakala Prakash Vaskar (7/12)
Best Screenplay: Dr Jeevan S. Rajak (Tvameva Sarvam)
Best Actor: Chinmay Patwardhan (The Finish Line)
Best Actress: Aarti Birajdar (Meera)
Best Child Artist: Swarajya Kolekar (Khelna)
Best Cinematography: Kuldeep Singh Rawat (Aina)
Best Editing: Jageshwar Dhoble (Keki)
Special Sessions and Discussions
The festival also featured cultural presentations and interactive sessions. At the beginning of the programme, Kanh Lalit Kala Kendra presented "Saptakala", which received appreciation from the audience.
During the Sunday morning session, Digpal Lanjekar participated in a candid conversation titled “Chhatrapati Shivaji Through the Eyes of a Director", conducted by Dr Shama Saraf. The discussion focused on Lanjekar’s historical film series “Shivraj Ashtak” and the journey of making films based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Lanjekar said that presenting historical events in an engaging yet authentic way is a major challenge. He also highlighted the importance of selecting the right actors, including Ajay Purkar as Bajiprabhu Deshpande and Mrinal Kulkarni as Rajmata Jijau. He spoke about the challenges of shooting on forts and conducting historical research, including consulting experts from the Jejuri and Kolhapur regions to accurately portray the bravery of the 300 Mavalas who fought alongside Bajiprabhu.
In the afternoon open forum session, Yofima Scholarship 2025-26 awardee and actor Aaroh Velankar interacted with participants and shared his experiences.
Festival Participation
More than 300 short films from across the world were submitted for the festival, with 80 films selected for screening. The event included short film screenings, masterclasses and touring talkie sessions.
Among the dignitaries present were Atul Gangwar, Abhijit Gokhale, Pramod Bapat, Ashok Jain and Prakash Chaubey.
The festival was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of Maharashtra; Film City; Jain Irrigation Group; and the Ramlal Chaubey Trust.
For the successful organisation of the festival, Ajanta Film Society president Dr Jayant Shevtekar; Kanh Lalit Kala Kendra’s Shashikant Vadodkar; Prasad Desai; actor Hemant Patil; vice president Anil Bhole; secretary Vineet Joshi; treasurer Dr Sanjay Hande; joint secretary Dr Suchitra Londhe; organising committee president Dr Jayendra Lekurwale; vice president Pankaj Sonawane; Adv. Prasad Godbole; and Kiran Sohale contributed significantly.
The programme was anchored by Shraddha Patil and Adv. Anagha Godbole.
