The Habitat Film Festival (HFF), organized by India Habitat Centre, has carved a niche for itself as one of the premier festivals of Indian Cinema and as Delhi’s finest. What makes the festival unique is its dedicated focus on Pan-Indian cinema, bringing the best of regional and independent Indian cinema to the film lovers of Delhi. Additionally, each year, the festival honours the work of a pathbreaking director, actor, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, or a film technician who pushes the boundaries and enriches the medium.

In the past, notable figures such as Mrinal Sen, Girish Kasaravalli, Om Puri, Sudhir Mishra, Revathi, Sreekar Prasad, Rituparno Ghosh, Waheeda Rehman, Kamal Haasan, Aparna Sen and K.G. George have been honoured through retrospectives of their selected works.

The ten-day festival from May 16-25 brings a curated selection of feature films, documentaries and short films from 2024-25 where screenings and discussions with filmmakers intertwine with collateral events such as film retrospectives, workshops, and book discussions. As a beloved gathering for auteurs, cinephiles and students, HFF fosters a culture of collective viewing and sharing and is thrilled to present another exciting edition.

Apart from a viewing experience like no other with Dolby Atmos sound and top of the line projection technology, the HFF, as always, promises to broaden the intellectual horizons of cinephiles, providing a holistic experience.

This year, the HFF pays tribute to Shyam Benegal, the pioneer of parallel cinema in India. Aruna Vasudev, “Mother of Asian Cinema” and founder NETPAC and Manoj Kumar the much loved star of iconic patriotic films. Marking this is an exhibition and a Retrospective of Shyam Benegal's films, screenings of NETPAC award winning films and the Manoj Kumar film Upkaar.

Opening the Benegal retrospective is Shabana Azmi whose cinematic journey began with “Ankur”and who celebrates 50 years in Indian cinema. In conversation with her on her journey and experiences is none other than Aparna Sen, the iconic Director and Actor. Other legends of the screen who celebrate 50 years on the silver screen include the Southern showstoppers Rajnikanth and Chiranjeevi. Professor S.V. Srinivas of Azim Premji University will commemorate the occasion with a talk chronicling the characteristics, limitations and possibilities of southern superstardom.

HFF also marks the birth centenary year of Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Mohammed Rafi, and Talat Mahmood with screenings, discussions, and an exhibition of posters of the art of Raj Kapoor’s cinema, courtesy TRIS (Tuli Research Centre for India Studies).

With films in over 24 languages, the HFF promises a truly pan-Indian selection.