GridLine Film Festival 2026: Kolkata Hosts Inaugural Edition, Check Dates, Venue, Movie Line-Up And Special Guests
GridLine Film Festival makes its Kolkata debut on November 20-21, showcasing 12 acclaimed independent films alongside filmmaker interactions, panel discussions and industry conversations.
GridLine Film Festival 2026 (Photo: Poster)
ByETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Kolkata:Kolkata is set to host the inaugural edition of the GridLine Film Festival (GLFF). Scheduled for November 20 and 21, 2026, the two-day festival will bring together award-winning independent films from India and around the world, along with filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts. The event will take place at Sujata Sadan on Hazra Road, offering audiences an opportunity to experience distinctive stories and filmmaking beyond mainstream cinema.
Founded by Anisa Mukerjea Ganguli and Anisha SenGupta Yanger, GridLine Film Festival aims to create a dedicated platform for independent filmmakers and their work. The festival will feature a carefully selected collection of feature films, short films and documentaries, many of which have received recognition at Indian and international film festivals. Screenings will be accompanied by panel discussions, industry conversations and director Q&A sessions.
Why Was Kolkata Chosen for the First Edition of GridLine Film Festival?
Kolkata’s long-standing association with cinema and its vibrant cultural environment made it a natural choice for the festival’s inaugural edition. Explaining the decision, Anisa Mukerjea Ganguli, Festival Director and co-founder of GridLine Film Festival, said that Kolkata has always been a city where different kinds of cinema find appreciation.
“Kolkata is known as the cultural capital of India and is a hub for cinema lovers. All types of genres and films are appreciated here by varied audiences. I felt Kolkata was the perfect choice to launch a curated and personal festival that has been thought of with great care and presented as a bouquet of independent films for a discerning audience,” she said. She also spoke about the choice of venue, Sujata Sadan, describing it as a beautiful independent location with its own history and cultural significance. According to her, the festival is an opportunity to present world cinema in a local setting and create a new space for meaningful cinematic experiences.
Anisha SenGupta Yanger, Director of Programming and co-founder, also shared her connection with Kolkata. Although she currently lives in Mumbai, she spent a significant part of her childhood in the city. “I think it’s such a feisty cultural city for films and has had so many firsts itself. To have the opportunity to have it at a cinema hall that has a lot of history behind it is special. Audiences also bring a flavour to cinema. Though we all watch on gadgets and screens, there’s nothing like being in a dark hall with hundreds of other people and having a shared experience,” she said. Anisha believes Kolkata has a distinctive energy when it comes to cinema, something that makes it particularly suitable for an independent film festival.
GridLine Film Festival 2026 (Photo: Film Poster)
How Were the Films Selected for GridLine Film Festival?
The festival’s programming is being led by its two co-founders, Ganguli and Yanger. Both share an interest in independent cinema and believe in bringing stories with different perspectives to audiences. Talking about the selection process, Ganguli explained that she takes the lead on programming, but the final decisions are made together.
“We are really trusting of each other. I’m the lead on the programming, but it’s a dual decision. We always have faith in each other’s decisions. Taste is a great equaliser. If you have the same taste in films, books and culture itself, then it’s half the battle,” she said. The process involves reaching out to filmmakers, reviewing their screeners and understanding the stories they want to tell. The founders also build relationships with filmmakers before putting together a programme that offers audiences a well-rounded selection.
Yanger said one of the festival’s primary objectives was to bring a collection of award-winning independent films to Kolkata and introduce audiences to world-class cinema in a local setting. For her, the festival is also the result of a long-standing dream to create more spaces for independent storytelling.
“Both of us have always been involved in various capacities in independent cinema in India. We thought, what better time, when films are doing so amazingly well with their narratives and storytelling, to have something that can bolster the same? It’s been a dream of ours to have something out there in the community that can help give a platform to independent cinema,” she explained.
GridLine Film Festival 2026: Complete Film Lineup
The inaugural edition will showcase 12 films spanning different genres, formats and storytelling styles. The selection includes films that have premiered or received recognition at prominent international and Indian film festivals.
Here is a look at the films scheduled to be screened:
- Morichika: Directed by Ishaan Ghose, the film was an official selection at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
- If on a Winter’s Night: Directed by Sanju Surendran, the film had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.
- Batt Koch: Directed by Siddarth Koul and Ankit Wali, the film was part of the International Selection at NYIFF 2026.
- Paswaar: Directed by Shayar Gandhi, the film was featured at the Tasveer Film Festival.
- More Punk Than Punk: Directed by Azeem Rajulawalla, the film was featured at the Dharamshala Film Festival.
- Cheepatakadumpa: Directed by Devashish Makhija, the film was screened at the London Indian Film Festival.
- Loop Line: Directed by Renuka Shahane, the animated short won Best Animation at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival.
- Little Fishies: Directed by Mallika Juneja, the film had its international premiere at the Austin Film Festival.
- I, Poppy: Directed by Vivek Chaudhary, the documentary won Best Documentary at the Critics’ Choice Awards India 2026.
- An Orphanage of Memories: Directed by Rayit Hashmat Qazi, the film received an Honourable Mention at IFFLA.
- Where the Road Leads: The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, according to the festival’s programme details. The director’s name is yet to be confirmed.
- Kayantar: Directed by National Award-winning filmmakers Rajdeep Paul and Sarmistha Maiti, the film is also part of the festival lineup.
Together, these films reflect the festival’s focus on distinctive narratives and independent voices that often explore stories beyond conventional commercial filmmaking.
GridLine Film Festival 2026 (Photo: Film Poster)
Renuka Shahane, Devashish Makhija Among Filmmakers Supporting the Initiative
Apart from screenings, GridLine Film Festival will host discussions and conversations featuring several recognised names from the film industry. The programme will include National Award-winning filmmaker Goutam Ghose, director Devashish Makhija, former NFDC executive producer Vikramjit Roy, author and poet Karuna Ezara Parikh, actor-filmmaker Renuka Shahane, sound designer Aneesh Basu and filmmaker Rudrajit Roy.
Two major panel discussions will form part of the programme. The first, titled ‘The Independent Voice: Who Decides What a Film Becomes?’, will be moderated by Vikramjit Roy, with Devashish Makhija, Rudrajit Roy and Aneesh Basu as panelists. The discussion will explore the creative decisions, collaborations and challenges that shape independent films. The second panel, ‘Dissolving Borders: From Script to Screen’, will feature Goutam Ghose, Vivek Chaudhary and Devashish Makhija. It will focus on the journey of a story from its initial conception to its final presentation on screen.
National Award-winning filmmaker Gautam Ghosh expressed his appreciation for the Gridline Film Festival, calling it a well-curated independent film festival. “I’m delighted to know that Gridline Film Festival is taking place in Kolkata. I think it’s a very well-curated independent film festival,” he said. He also praised the choice of venue, Sujata Sadan, describing it as “a perfect-sized theatre in South Kolkata”.
GridLine Film Festival 2026 (Photo: Film Poster)
Filmmaker Renuka Shahane, whose animated short Loop Line is part of the festival, expressed her excitement about the initiative. She described GridLine as a space that celebrates the dedication and creative freedom of independent filmmakers. “GridLine has carved out a space specifically to honour the raw, unadulterated passion of independent filmmakers. It is a thoughtfully curated haven for independent shorts, documentaries and features that dare to break conventional moulds,” she said.
Filmmaker Devashish Makhija, whose film Cheepatakadumpa is also included in the selection, believes smaller independent festivals can play an important role in keeping artistic voices alive. “A new little festival with a big pounding heart sometimes is all that the artistic independent voice needs to fire itself up and keep going. GRIDLINE promises to be exactly that festival, coming into this volatile world just when we need such spaces the most,” he said.
Filmmaker Ishaan Ghosh also welcomed the initiative, calling GridLine an exciting new platform for independent filmmakers. He noted that the festival has been put together by passionate film lovers from Kolkata and expressed hope that it would provide opportunities for independent storytellers.
GridLine Film Festival 2026: Dates, Venue and Other Details
The first edition of GridLine Film Festival will be held on November 20 and 21, 2026, at Sujata Sadan, Hazra Road, Kolkata. With its selection of Indian and international films, filmmaker interactions and industry discussions, the festival aims to build a stronger connection between independent filmmakers and audiences. Beyond celebrating established names, the initiative also hopes to encourage emerging talent and create more opportunities for stories that may not always find space in mainstream cinema.
