From Berlin to Mumbai: NFDC Spotlights MIFF 2026 as India Leads Narrative at EFM

By Pickle  February 18, 2026

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At the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) 2026, the European Film Market (EFM) witnessed a shift in India’s global engagement.

Anchored by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the Bharat Pavilion—strategically positioned at the very entrance of the EFM—served as more than just a showcase; it was a launchpad. While the immediate buzz surrounded the Indian delegation in Berlin, NFDC successfully steered the market conversation toward its next major milestone: the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in June 2026.

MIFF June 2026: The Global Destination for Non-Feature Content

In a decisive move to institutionalize the festival and market for documentaries, animation, and short films, NFDC placed MIFF at the top of its Berlinale EFM agenda. Officials positioned the upcoming June festival not merely as a celebration of docs, but as South Asia’s premier market for non-feature content.

Breaking away from traditional protocols, NFDC used the Berlin platform to aggressively push for international submissions for MIFF, urging filmmakers to utilize FilmFreeway for festival entry.

The message was clear: MIFF 2026 is where the world will discover the “real” stories of the Global South. By highlighting the festival’s unique focus on diverse, real-world narratives, NFDC effectively branded MIFF as a must-attend event for the global documentary community.

The “WAVES” Effect: Handholding the Next Generation

If MIFF was the destination, the WAVES Bazaar was the vehicle. NFDC’s strategy pivoted from mere representation to “handholding.” This was most visible in the curated delegation of nine filmmakers, handpicked to represent  Indian storytelling beyond Bollywood.

The delegation, which became the talk of the market, included projects that spanned genres and geographies:

“Ade (On a Weekend)” by Theja Rio (Nagaland) – A tale of childhood resilience.

​”Echoes of the Herd” – A survival drama set in the Himalayan valleys of Himachal Pradesh.

​”Kabootar” by Ishan Sharma (Delhi) – A detective story blending folklore with urban reality.

​”Ice-Pice” by Aseem Sinha – A tender look at a child’s life inside an Indian prison.

​”Mr. Francis & The Last Standing PCO” by Divya Kharnare (Goa) – A magic realism narrative exploring love and loss.

​”Kahin Door (Still Somewhere)” – A mother’s desperate quest for her son.

​”THE G.O.A.T” – A hilarious animated feature inspired by real events.

​”White Guy” – A musical comedy about the South Asian diaspora in 1980s Birmingham.

​”Yeh Mera Ghar (My Home)” – An intimate exploration of migration set in Qatar.

​NFDC facilitated targeted B2B meetings, ensuring these independent voices could navigate the complexities of international co-production and sales. Complementing them were the WAVES Startups—four winners of the “Create in India Challenge”—who pitched cutting-edge solutions in VFX and gaming, positioning India as a hub for both “content and tech”.

​Strategic State Partnerships: Maharashtra and Delhi

Reinforcing the “Film in India” mission, high-level delegations from Maharashtra and Delhi presented a united front. Maharashtra leveraged the platform to market its mature infrastructure and single-window clearance for international shoots, while Delhi pitched its historical and political landscapes as unique filming backdrops. These state-level pushes were critical in promoting India’s co-production treaties, offering European producers concrete incentives to collaborate with Indian talent.

NFDC, as the nodal agency for India’s film promotion, played a pivotal role in curating India’s participation at EFM Berlinale. “NFDC is committed to supporting state-level film ecosystems in their global outreach, independent filmmakers and media tech start-ups” said Gautàm Bhanot, GM-Film Promotion & CEO IFFI NFDC. “Events like EFM are crucial in forging international industry linkages and showcasing MIFF, IFFI and India as a competitive, film-friendly destinatio”

Looking Ahead: IFFI Goa

While MIFF took the immediate spotlight, the roadmap extended to the end of the year. The Bharat Pavilion laid the groundwork for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa (November 20-28, 2026). By initiating conversations in Berlin, NFDC ensured a pipeline of global content and delegates for IFFI’s Film Bazaar, reinforcing the festival’s status as a key node in the international film calendar.

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