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Convergence of Voices
PRAKRITI: International Documentary Film Festival
Prakriti is a prestigious documentary film festival organized by the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi, following the approval granted at the 7th Meeting of the Governing Board held on May 26, 1997. Initially conceptualized as a non-competitive platform, the festival has evolved into a significant national event, held annually at diverse locations across India. It offers a dynamic space for documentary filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with audiences on pressing social and environmental themes.
Prakriti is a prestigious documentary film festival organized by the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi, following the approval granted at the 7th Meeting of the Governing Board held on May 26, 1997. Initially conceptualized as a non-competitive platform, the festival has evolved into a significant national event, held annually at diverse locations across India. It offers a dynamic space for documentary filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with audiences on pressing social and environmental themes.
The inaugural Prakriti Film Festival was held from 17th to 19th December 1997 at the Institute of Chemical Technology and Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, in collaboration with EMRC Hyderabad. Since then, the festival has travelled to various cities including Pune, Bhopal, Goa, Pondicherry (2008), Jodhpur (2010), Tripura (2011), Mysore (2012), Calicut (2014), Kolkata(2015), Chandigarh (2017), Chennai (2019), Mysore (2021), Madurai (2022), and Ahmedabad (2023). The most recent edition took place at EMRC, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, in December 2024.
Each edition features a curated selection of documentaries, chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors. Filmmakers, producers, or their representatives are invited to participate in interactive sessions with audiences, facilitating meaningful discussions on the issues explored in their films.
The core aim of PrakritiFestival is to raise awareness and foster public engagement around critical themes including environment, development, human rights, and swachhbharat. In line with this vision, a dedicated Swachh Bharat category was introduced in 2018 to spotlight initiatives and narratives aligned with the national cleanliness movement.
Through its screenings and dialogues, PrakritiFilm Festival strives to sensitize viewers, promote dialogue, and encourage informed civic participation, contributing to a more conscious and responsible society.
The Prakriti Film Festival has expanded its wings to provide a larger canvas to paint the footprints on the educational aspects of equity, ethics and ecology. In the year 2018, the festival embraced a competitive format, and its reach was extended beyond India to include the South East Asian region. This expansion aimed to enhance visibility and foster greater awareness of pressing social and environmental issues on a more global scale.
AWARD:
All submitted documentaries will be reviewed by a panel of eminent jurors, who will carefully evaluate each entry and select documentaries for screening under the four categories i.e. Environment, Development, Human Rights, and the Swachh Bharat (Clean India campaign).
In each category, one or more outstanding documentaries will be selected for the Best Documentary Award, which includes:
THE ORGANIZER:
Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) [http://cec.nic.in], is an Inter-University Centre of University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi. It has 20 Educational Multimedia Research Centers spread across India in various academic institutions. CEC is engaged in production of educational video programs and development of courseware for tertiary education using multimedia. These content is disseminated through various platforms like DTH Channels (SwayamPrabha), YouTube, Internet, etc. benefitting millions of students, teachers, researchers and general public across the country. CEC is also engaged in building ICT environment and promoting the use of ICT in pedagogical practices. CEC is also an active partner of Ministry of Education, Govt. of India initiative for development and delivery of MOOCs.
Each edition features a curated selection of documentaries, chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors. Filmmakers, producers, or their representatives are invited to participate in interactive sessions with audiences, facilitating meaningful discussions on the issues explored in their films.
The core aim of PrakritiFestival is to raise awareness and foster public engagement around critical themes including environment, development, human rights, and swachhbharat. In line with this vision, a dedicated Swachh Bharat category was introduced in 2018 to spotlight initiatives and narratives aligned with the national cleanliness movement.
Through its screenings and dialogues, PrakritiFilm Festival strives to sensitize viewers, promote dialogue, and encourage informed civic participation, contributing to a more conscious and responsible society.
The Prakriti Film Festival has expanded its wings to provide a larger canvas to paint the footprints on the educational aspects of equity, ethics and ecology. In the year 2018, the festival embraced a competitive format, and its reach was extended beyond India to include the South East Asian region. This expansion aimed to enhance visibility and foster greater awareness of pressing social and environmental issues on a more global scale.
AWARD:
All submitted documentaries will be reviewed by a panel of eminent jurors, who will carefully evaluate each entry and select documentaries for screening under the four categories i.e. Environment, Development, Human Rights, and the Swachh Bharat (Clean India campaign).
In each category, one or more outstanding documentaries will be selected for the Best Documentary Award, which includes:
- Cash Prize: ₹50,000/-
- Trophy
- Certificate
- In case of joint winners in any category, the prize money will be equally shared.
- Documentaries selected for screening only (and not for award) will receive only a Certificate of Screening.
THE ORGANIZER:
Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) [http://cec.nic.in], is an Inter-University Centre of University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi. It has 20 Educational Multimedia Research Centers spread across India in various academic institutions. CEC is engaged in production of educational video programs and development of courseware for tertiary education using multimedia. These content is disseminated through various platforms like DTH Channels (SwayamPrabha), YouTube, Internet, etc. benefitting millions of students, teachers, researchers and general public across the country. CEC is also engaged in building ICT environment and promoting the use of ICT in pedagogical practices. CEC is also an active partner of Ministry of Education, Govt. of India initiative for development and delivery of MOOCs.
Storytelling Begins...
ENVIRONMENT
2024
Ghoramara: The Sinking Island
Announcement
Entries are invited for documentary film(s) produced in the academic year 2024 in prescribed format from individuals, media houses, mass communication institutions, & media institutions for Prakriti International Documentary Film Festival. Entries are invited in the four (04) categories, namely (i) Environment, (ii) Development, (iii) Human Rights & (iv) Swachh Bharat (Clean India Campaign). Please note that only one entry is permissible in each category.
All entries must be accompanied by the duly filled prescribed Entry Form.
Submissions can be made in either of the following ways:
If submitting by post or courier, the envelope must be clearly labelled in bold letters with the following:
“Entry for 17th Prakriti International Documentary Film Festival”
and must also specify the categoryunder which the documentary is submitted.:
For any clarifications or queries, participants may contact:
SUBMISSION OF MASTER COPY (FOR SELECTED ENTRIES): If a documentary is selected for screening, the master copy must be submitted in a professional broadcast format:
All entries must be accompanied by the duly filled prescribed Entry Form.
Submissions can be made in either of the following ways:
- By post, courier, or in personwith Pen Drive containing the documentary and necessary documents
- Via email by sharing a Google Drive link of the documentary to the official festival email ID: prakritifest18@gmail.com
If submitting by post or courier, the envelope must be clearly labelled in bold letters with the following:
“Entry for 17th Prakriti International Documentary Film Festival”
and must also specify the categoryunder which the documentary is submitted.:
For any clarifications or queries, participants may contact:
Dr. Sunil Mehru
Joint Director (Software)
Consortium for Educational Communication
IUAC Campus, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg,
New Delhi-110067, (INDIA)
e-mail: prakritifest18@gmail.com
Joint Director (Software)
Consortium for Educational Communication
IUAC Campus, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg,
New Delhi-110067, (INDIA)
e-mail: prakritifest18@gmail.com
IMPORTANT DATES:
Last date for receiving entries: 31st July, 2025
Declaration of jury result: Last Week of August, 2025 (List of Awarded/selected entries shall be uploaded on CEC’s website, (https://cec.nic.in) and conveyed to all the participants and winners through email.
SUBMISSION OF MASTER COPY (FOR SELECTED ENTRIES): If a documentary is selected for screening, the master copy must be submitted in a professional broadcast format:
- Formats: .MOV or .AVI
- Resolution: 720 x 576 (SD) or 1920 x 1080 (HD)
Terms and Conditions
1. Eligibility and Number of Entries:
The participants – Individuals, Institutions, Media Houses, Media Institutions and Academic Institutions, should send only one entry per category. Separate entry form for each entry&category should be used.
2. Production Period:
Documentaries should have been produced between 01st January 2024 and 31st December, 2024. Films produced beyond this period should be summarily rejected.
3. Duration of the Documentary:
The duration of the documentary must be no less than 5 minutes and must not exceed 40 minutes.
4. Language and Subtitles:
Documentaries must be originally produced in either Hindi or English.In general, a documentary is preferred with English subtitles. If a documentary is produced in a language other than Hindi/English, it should be sub-titled compulsorily in English. Preference will be given to entries with clear and accurate English subtitles to ensure accessibility and effective evaluation.
5. Transmission Rights of Selected Entries:
Lists of Awarded documentaries and those selected for screening at the Festival shall be uploaded on CEC’s website. Also, selected films/documentaries shall be transmitted on SWAYAM PrabhaDTH Channels including Vyas Higher Education Channel
6. Awards and Recognition:
Documentaries that receive awards will be presented with a cash prize, a trophy, and a certificate, while those selected for screening will be awarded a Certificate of Screening only during the festival.
7. Entry Fee: There is No Entry Fee for the Prakriti International Documentary Film Festival. 8. Participation and Reimbursements:
Either the Producer(s) / Director(s) of the selected Documentary(ies) or their authorized representative would be invited to attend the festival and interact with festival audience. The national participantswill be provided complimentary lodging and boarding at the venue of the Festival. Additionally, 2nd AC Train Fare will be reimbursed upon production of the valid travel documents / tickets as per CEC-UGC regulations. In cases where a documentary has multiple producers or directors, travel reimbursement will be extended to only one individual; however, lodging and boarding may be arranged on a shared basis, subject to prior approval from the competent authority.
International participants shall be provided local travel fare in India along with boarding & lodging at the festival venue.
9. Jury Decision:
International participants shall be provided local travel fare in India along with boarding & lodging at the festival venue.
The decision of the Jury regarding the selection of documentaries for awards or screening shall be final, binding, and not subject to challenge. The CEC and the Jury reserve the right to accept or reject any entry at their sole discretion, without the obligation to provide any explanation.
10. Submission of Master Copies:
Master copies of the selected documentaries must be submitted in a professional broadcast-quality format, strictly adhering to the technical specifications outlined in the official guidelines.
11. Return of Submitted Materials:
Pen drives or any other materials submitted as part of an entry for the Prakriti Festival will not be returned by the CEC. However, participants may collect their submitted materials in person by visiting the CEC’s New Delhi office on any working day between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., within one month from the conclusion of the Festival.
12. Submission Deadline and Required Materials:Entries must be submitted in complete form no later than 31st July 2025. Each entry must include the following components:
13. Incomplete Entries:
- A duly filled-in entry form (one form per documentary);
- A Pen Drive containing the film or a soft copy submitted via Google Drive to the official festival email ID (for preview purposes);
- A brief bio-data of the Producer and/or Director in PDF format along with high resolution passport size photograph
- A synopsis of the documentary (maximum 150 words);
- A poster and any available press or publicity dossier.
Entries that are incomplete in any respect will be deemed invalid and rejected without further consideration. No correspondence or appeal regarding such rejections will be entertained under any circumstances.
Entry Form
17th Prakriti International Documentary Film Festival entry has been closed.