The nomination list for the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has been released. The festival will be held in Australia from August 13 to August 23, 2026. Awards will be presented to outstanding films and web series from Indian cinema and OTT platforms.

Which films are included?
This year, films such as 'Sitaare Zameen Par', 'Kantara: Chapter 1', 'Saiyara', 'Members of the Problematic Family', and 'Not a Hero' are among the top contenders across various categories. Winners will be decided by a jury comprising members from the Australian film industry.

Key Categories and Nominations

Best Actor (Male) – Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Rishab Shetty, Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty, Aahan Panday, Bhuman Bhargav Das, and Sanjay Mishra.

Best Actress (Female) – Rani Mukerji, Yami Gautam Dhar, Neena Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Rajshri Deshpande, Aneet Padda, and Rituparna Sengupta.

Best Film – Sitaare Zameen Par, Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1, Saiyara, Haq, Jaraan, Lokah Chapter 1, Sharathopor, and The Great Shamsuddin Family.

Best Director – Rishab Shetty (Kantara 1), RS Prasanna (Sitaare Zameen Par), Mohit Suri (Saiyara), Ashwini Iyer Tiwari (System), Shazia Iqbal (Dhadak 2), Rima Das, Chandrashish Ray, and Ramalingam Gautam.

Best Web Series – Kohrra (Season 2), Matka King, Sapne vs Everyone, Freedom at Midnight (Season 2), and The Bads of Bollywood.

The festival will feature not only award presentations but also premieres of new films, special screenings, and exclusive masterclasses and discussions related to cinema.