Pune: The 23rd Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) will take place from January 16 to January 23, 2025, offering a unique opportunity for Marathi filmmakers this year.

For the first time, Marathi films without censor certificates will be allowed to compete in the global Marathi film competition, providing filmmakers with a rare chance to present their work on an international stage.

Marathi film producers and directors whose films have either received or are still awaiting censor certification as of December 31, 2024, can submit their entries until November 30, 2024.

Only films produced, censored, or submitted for censoring between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, will be eligible for the competition, as confirmed by PIFF’s Deputy Director, Vishal Shinde.

An international panel of jurors will evaluate the shortlisted films in the Marathi category and select the winner for the prestigious ‘Sant Tukaram Best International Marathi Film’ award, which carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakhs, courtesy of the Maharashtra Government.

Along with this, the All-India Marathi Film Corporation will present awards of ₹25,000 each for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematographer in the Marathi film category. The winners will be honored at the festival's closing ceremony.

Deputy Director Vishal Shinde also mentioned that detailed guidelines for entering films without a censor certificate are available on the festival’s official website, www.piffindia.com.