India at Cannes 2026

The 79th Cannes Film Festival is a year of quiet momentum for Indian cinema rather than marquee glory. With no films in the official competition, Un Certain Regard, or Directors' Fortnight, it falls short of the highs of recent years; Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound drew widespread critical acclaim on the international circuit in 2025, and Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix in 2024. But the Marché du Film, Cannes' sprawling industry marketplace tells a more encouraging story, with Indian indie films arriving with world premieres and production houses presenting ambitious multi-film slates to international buyers.

There is also meaningful progress on gender equity: Women in Film India, founded by Oscar-winner Guneet Monga Kapoor, has partnered with Jio Studios to send mid-career Indian women producers to the Producers Network at the Cannes Film Market, and four Indian women producers have been selected as scholars for 2026. Fittingly, two of the Indian films heading to Cannes this year are also directed by women
 
Shadows of the Moonless Nights (La Cinef)
Mehar Malhotra's 24-minute Punjabi-language film follows a factory worker navigating sleepless nights in the city. Selected from nearly 2,750 submissions worldwide, this FTII student production is one of just 19 films competing for La Cinef honours this year.

Gudgudi (Marché du Film)
This upcoming title is being presented at the Cannes Film Market, where international buyers and distributors scout for acquisitions. Directed by Manisha K Makwana, Gudgudi will premiere at Cannes 2026 under the Marché du Film segment, highlighting Indian cinema's global reach.

September 21(Marché du Film)
Directed by 22-year-old Karen Kshiti Suvarna, September 21 centres on an Alzheimer's patient who believes his wife is quarantined next door due to COVID-19, while his estranged son returns home torn between personal ambition and duty. The Hindi-Kannada film stars Priyanka Upendra, Zarina Wahab, and Pravin Singh Sisodia, and will have its world premiere on May 16 at the Palais Theatre in Cannes.

First Ray Films Slate (Marché du Film)
Anshuman Jha's production company arrives at Cannes with an ambitious six-film slate including Om Ka Hari, Lakadbaggha 2, Bajrangi, Bhadyaa, But First, The Burning, and Dhoori. The lineup spans genres from thriller sequels to international co-productions, signalling growing Indian ambition on the global market circuit.

Words Platform Desk 
Date 28.4.2026