Emami Art Experimental Film Festival 2026 Explores Boundaries of Film in Kolkata
From September 22 to 27, 2026, Kolkata hosted the fifth Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (EAEFF), bringing together artists, filmmakers, and curators to explore new dimensions of cinema. The festival featured a variety of activities, including screenings, workshops, panels, and a unique exhibition called A Séance of Planetary Hauntings and Local Ghosts. Among the showcased works was Wedding Songs (2026), a 13-minute hand-processed film by Canadian directors Solomon Nagler and Alexandre Larose, influenced by a 16th-century Kabbalist. Curator Sayanth RS highlighted Nagler's intention to 'exhibit' the piece. Awards were given to Utkarsh's A Circle as the Center of the Whole (2026), with special mentions for Tushar Gidwani's Saccharine Wonderland & Forces That Make Me Shiver (2025) and Devadeep Gupta's Margherita (2025). International selections featured contributions from Lee Jangwook and Collectif Hasard.
Key facts
- The fifth Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (EAEFF) was held in Kolkata from September 22–27, 2026.
- The festival included an exhibition titled A Séance of Planetary Hauntings and Local Ghosts, featuring moving image works.
- Canadian filmmakers Solomon Nagler and Alexandre Larose filmed Wedding Songs (2026) in Kochi, Kerala, a 13-minute hand-processed celluloid film inspired by a 16th-century Kabbalist.
- Curator Sayanth RS explained that the exhibition format allowed films to be played on repeat, with no distinct start or finish.
- Utkarsh's A Circle as the Center of the Whole (2026) won the award for films in the short-mid duration category from India.
- Special mentions in the same category went to Tushar Gidwani's Saccharine Wonderland & Forces That Make Me Shiver (2025) and Devadeep Gupta's Margherita (2025).
- International selections included works by Lee Jangwook, Cáit and Éiméar McClay, and Collectif Hasard.
- Curated programmes featured Light Cone's A carte blanche and Tony Balko's School's Out Forever, showcasing films from Pittsburgh Filmmakers.
Entities
Artists
- Srishti Ojha
- Solomon Nagler
- Alexandre Larose
- Sayanth RS
- Nilanjan Bhattacharya
- Ushnish Mukhopadhyay
- Arpita Akhanda
- Tushar Gidwani
- Joseph Lawrence C
- Utkarsh
- Devadeep Gupta
- Lee Jangwook
- Cáit McClay
- Éiméar McClay
- Emannuel Lefrant
- Stuart Pound
- Tony Balko
- Gordon Nelson
- Jesse McLean
- Vandana Kalra
- Zohra Khan
- Ankur Hooda
- Samar Jodha
- Ahmed Ali
- Rohini Devasher
- Heshoram Hoshiyaar
- Kader Attia
Institutions
- Emami Art
- Emami Art Experimental Film Festival
- Light Cone
- Pittsburgh Filmmakers
- Ashoka University
- Bruce Museum
- Kochi-Muziris Biennale
- STIR
Locations
- Kolkata
- India
- Kochi
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Sikkim
- Delhi
- Margherita
- Assam
- Ireland
- Paris
- France
- Pittsburgh
- United States
- West Bengal