The Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) – scheduled to be held from January 15 to 22, 2026 – will offer cinephiles a rare opportunity to watch nine films that have made it to the Oscars shortlist, with four of them also having been shortlisted for the Golden Globes (Awards).
Sentimental Value – directed by Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning – explores the strained relationship between a celebrated filmmaker and his estranged daughters. (HT)
Internationally acclaimed films such as Sentimental Value, Sirat, and It was just an Accident are among the PIFF’s top draws that have been creating waves at major global film festivals. These films, along with five others, will be screened in the ‘global cinema’ section of the festival.
Sentimental Value – directed by Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning – explores the strained relationship between a celebrated filmmaker and his estranged daughters. It premiered at the 2025 Cannes film festival where it won the Grand Prix, and has been shortlisted as Norway’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards. It is also on the Golden Globes shortlist.
Sirat – directed by Oliver Laxe – follows a father’s search for his missing daughter in the deserts of southern Morocco. It premiered at the 78th Cannes film festival where it won the Jury Prize, and has been shortlisted for both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards in the ‘international feature film’ category.
Jafar Panahi’s It was just an Accident, a co-production involving Iran, France, and Luxembourg, will also be screened at the festival. The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2025; and became the first Iranian film to be shortlisted at the Golden Globes in the ‘best film’, ‘best director’ and ‘best screenplay’ categories. It has also been shortlisted as France’s official entry for the Oscars.
The film All that’s left of you will be showcased in the ‘world cinema competition’ section of the festival. Directed by Palestinian-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis, the film has been shortlisted in the Oscars ‘international feature film’ category. The film is a co-production involving Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Dabis is also known for her film Amreeka, which won the FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Award at the Cannes film festival in 2009.
Other notable films to be screened at the PIFF 2026 include Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski; the documentary Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni; The President’s Cake by Hasan Hadi; Late Shift by Petra Biondina Volpe; and No Other Choice, a Korean satirical black comedy thriller directed by Park Chan-wook. No Other Choice has also been shortlisted for the Golden Globes.
The 24th edition of the PIFF is being jointly organised by the Pune Film Foundation; department of cultural affairs, Government of Maharashtra; and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, Mumbai. The festival will be held across 10 screens in Pune, and online registrations are currently open at www.piffindia.com.
