NHRC invites entries for its 12th annual competition for short films on human rights

National Human Rights Commission NHRC invites entries for its 12th annual competition for short films on human rights

Online entries open for Indian citizens: Last date 30th June 2026 The themes to be based on various socio-economic, cultural and political rights Films to be in English or any Indian language with subtitles in English Entries to be sent using Google Drive at nhrcshortfilm@gmail.com

Posted On: 10 APR 2026 4:22PM by PIB Delhi The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has invited entries for its 12th annual competition for short films on human rights. The last date to receive entries is 30th June, 2026. The winning entries will be awarded.

The Short Film Awards competition was instituted by the Commission in 2015. It aims to encourage and acknowledge the cinematic and creative efforts of Indian citizens, irrespective of their age, towards promoting and protecting human rights. In all previous competitions, the Commission received tremendous responses from different parts of the country.

The short films may be in English or any Indian language, with subtitles in English. The duration of the short film should be a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes. The films could be documentary, dramatisation of real stories, or a work of fiction made in any technical format, including animation, within the ambit of various socio-economic, cultural and political rights based on the following

themes: • Right to life, liberty, equality and dignity • Covering issues specific to bonded and child labour, women and children’s rights • Rights and challenges of elderly persons • Rights of persons with disability • Manual scavenging, right to healthcare • Issues of fundamental freedoms• Human trafficking • Domestic violence • Human rights violations due to police atrocities • Custodial violence and torture • Socio-economic disparities • Rights of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes • Prison reforms • Right to education • Right to a clean environment, including environmental hazards impacting life on planet Earth • Right to work • Right to equality before law • Right to food and nutritional security • Rights of LGBTQI+ • Human rights violation due to displacement on account of either man-made or natural calamity • Celebrating human rights and values in Indian diversity • Development initiatives improving life and living standards, etc.

There is no entry fee or bar on the number of entries an individual can send to participate in the contest.

However, the participants must send each film separately with a duly filled-in entry form. The terms & conditions, along with the entry form, can be downloaded from the NHRC website: www.nhrc.nic.in or

the link: Click here.

The film, a duly filled-in entry form, and other requisite documents may be sent using Google Drive at nhrcshortfilm[at]gmail[dot]com. Any queries may also be sent to this email address. *** NSK (Release ID: 2250819) Visitor Counter : 190

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