India will host the first-ever Global South Film Festival in Udaipur, Rajasthan, in February 2027, aiming to unite filmmakers and creative industries across the Global South
The proposed festival comes at a time when cinema from Asia, Africa, Latin America and other parts of the Global South is receiving growing international attention.
Festival Overview:
The Global South Film Festival (GSSF) is envisioned as a contemporary platform for the creative and screen economy across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, highlighting the Global South as a growing force in global storytelling and entertainment.
The festival will celebrate cinema, OTT content, mobile storytelling, AVGC-XR, and emerging formats, emphasizing cultural heritage, language, music, craft, and climate storytelling
India’s growing role in global cinema
Hosting an international festival focused on Global South filmmaking could strengthen India’s cultural and creative engagement with countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
It could also encourage:
- International film collaborations
- Co-productions between emerging filmmakers
- Cultural exchange
- New distribution opportunities
- Greater visibility for independent cinema
- Film-industry networking
The Global South already has several cinema initiatives focused on connecting filmmakers and audiences across regions. Alternativa, for example, describes its mission as supporting filmmakers from the Global South and moving its festival to different regions.
Industry Engagement
- The festival is supported by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and the Government of Rajasthan.
- During the BRICS WAVES Bazaar 2026 in Mumbai, agreements and Letters of Intent were exchanged to explore joint film production, archival cooperation, and cross-border collaborations.
- Over 900 delegates from 20 BRICS member and partner countries participated in discussions, highlighting the festival’s role as a hub for creative economy partnerships