Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is set to host the inaugural Dharti Aba Tribal Film Festival this October, aiming to highlight the richness of tribal life, traditions, and culture through cinema. The event, named in honour of tribal icon Birsa Munda, is being organized at the national level to bring together stories from indigenous communities across India.
Unlike earlier efforts that remained state-focused, this festival will serve as a pan-India platform. Film submissions are being invited from across the country to showcase tribal narratives, lifestyles, and cultural experiences from diverse regions. Organizers hope that the event will spark meaningful dialogue and provide visibility to often-overlooked voices through the power of visual storytelling.
The festival is being organized by the Dr. Ram Dayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute in Ranchi, as part of the government’s “Tribal Pride Year” initiative. It is expected to provide a significant platform for filmmakers, students, researchers, and educators to creatively present tribal stories on screen.
The festival welcomes participation from university and college faculty, Ph.D. and M.Phil researchers, as well as postgraduate students. Participants are encouraged to submit films created under the guidance of academic mentors.
Entries can be submitted in various formats, including fiction films, documentaries, short documentaries, short films, animation films, and new media or mobile-based films. The deadline for registration and submission is 10 September 2025. Complete details and the registration link are available on the official festival website at https://www.trijharkhand.in/en/datff.
The Jharkhand government believes that the Dharti Aba Tribal Film Festival will serve not only as a creative and academic initiative but also as a powerful cultural movement. It offers a rare opportunity for filmmakers and students to bring tribal voices, heritage, and identities to a broader audience, both nationally and globally.