SHIMLA, September 25, 2026: Azerbaijan’s short war film Lullaby, directed by Ayan Mammadowa, opened the 12th International Film Festival of Shimla (IFFS) at the historic Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex on Friday, bringing the Karabakh conflict and the unlikely alliance of two soldiers on opposing sides to the screen.
The screening was followed by an interaction with the film’s producer, setting the tone for a three-day festival focused on international cinema, independent filmmaking and audience engagement.
Deputy Chief Minister and Language, Art and Culture Minister Mukesh Agnihotri inaugurated the festival, which features filmmakers and films from 33 countries and 15 Indian states.
Acclaimed actor Manoj Joshi was among the key attractions on the opening day.
Actor Sharib Hashmi also interacted with audiences, discussing his journey, films, digital entertainment and the changing landscape of Indian cinema.
A documentary filmmaking masterclass at the Conference Hall added an educational dimension to the festival, alongside documentary screenings and discussions on storytelling, visual expression and cinema’s engagement with society and human experiences.
The opening-day programme across the MP Theatre and Gothic Theatre included feature films, shorts, documentaries and animation from India and countries including Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Nepal, Portugal, Ukraine, Bhutan, Canada, Mexico and South Korea.
Films screened included Mania Instrument, Daddu Ki Kahaniyan, Raspberry Sorbet, Self Assessment and The Everest Dream.
Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said the participation of filmmakers and films from 33 countries and 15 Indian states had given the 12th edition a strong international and national character.
The festival continues on September 26 and 27 with screenings, masterclasses and filmmaker-audience interactions. Filmmaker and writer Amit Rai, director and writer of OMG 2, will participate in a special interactive session on September 26.
The festival is being organised under the joint aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, the Department of Language and Culture, Government of Himachal Pradesh, and Himalayan Velocity, said Thakur.
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