National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has invited entries for its Short Film Competition–2026 aimed at promoting awareness and creative expression on human rights issues.
According to an official information issued by the Commission, the competition is open to all Indian citizens, irrespective of age. Short films may be submitted in Hindi, English, or any Indian language with English subtitles, with a duration ranging between 3 minutes to 10 minutes.
The themes of short films should be broadly based on various socio-economic, cultural and political rights. The film could be a documentary, dramatization of real stories or a work of fiction, in any technical format, including animation, within the ambit of right to life, liberty, equality and dignity and covering issues specific to bonded and child labour, women and children’s rights, rights and challenges of elderly persons, rights of persons with disability, manual scavenging, right to healthcare, issues of fundamental freedoms, human trafficking, domestic violence, human rights violation due to police atrocities, custodial violence and torture, socio-economic disparities, rights of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes, prison reforms, right to education, right to clean environment including environmental hazards impacting life on planet earth, right to work, right to equality before law, right to food and nutritional security, rights of LGBTQI+, human rights violations due to displacement on account of either man-made or natural calamity, celebrating human rights and values in Indian diversity, development initiatives improving life and living standards, etc.
The competition offers cash awards of ₹2 lakh for the first prize, ₹1.5 lakh for the second, and ₹1 lakh for the third. In addition, up to four films would be awarded a ‘Certificate of Special Mention’ with a cash prize of ₹50,000 each. There is no entry fee for participation. As per the terms and conditions, each applicant may submit only one film, and films previously submitted to NHRC will not be considered.
The film should not be uploaded on any social media platform prior to submission. Entries may be in the form of fiction, documentary, or animation and must be submitted in MP4 format (Full HD preferred) with a maximum file size of 2 GB.
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Applicants are required to submit a valid government-issued ID proof, and the film must include title and credits. Incomplete entries or those not adhering to the prescribed guidelines will be rejected. Entries containing objectionable or nudity content will not be accepted. The decision of the jury will be final and binding. NHRC reserves the right to use the submitted and awarded films for awareness purposes. Shortlisted participants will be invited to attend the award ceremony in New Delhi, with travel reimbursement as per rules.
Entries are to be submitted online by uploading the film on Google Drive and sharing the link via email at nhrcshortfilm@gmail.com along with the duly filled application form, necessary documents, and a brief synopsis.
The last date for submission of entries is June 30, 2026. For detailed guidelines, terms and conditions, and application form, interested participants may visit the official website: https://nhrc.nic.in or https://nhrc.nic.in/flipbook/files/255.
