- Lucknow Becomes a Hub for Cinema, AI, and Creativity: Grand Launch of Film Festival Season 4 and ‘Imaginerium 2026’
- A unique platform for Indian and international cinema, AI-assisted filmmaking, and animation; talents honored at the ‘Aao Film Banayein’ (Let’s Make a Film) Awards.
Lucknow – The ‘City of Nawabs,’ Lucknow, witnessed a unique convergence of cinema, artificial intelligence (AI), animation, and innovation. The Lucknow Film Festival Season 4 and ‘Imaginerium 2026’ were grandly inaugurated at SRS Cinemas, Gomti Nagar. Held on October 23 and 24, this two-day festival showcases Indian and international films while providing a shared platform for emerging technologies, gaming, and the creative industries.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by several prominent figures, including Babita Chauhan, Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Women; Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, former Union Minister and former Member of Parliament; filmmaker and jury member Jyoti Kapur Das; Vandana Sehgal, founder of Kokoro; and author Sunita Aron. The event was spearheaded by Renuka Tandon, founder of the Lucknow Film Forum and founding president of the Amren Foundation. Other key members associated with the event, including Ambrish Tandon, Vibha, and Sangeeta Banerjee, were also in attendance.
In a departure from the traditional lighting of a ceremonial lamp, the event featured the watering of a plant—a gesture intended to convey a message of environmental conservation and sensitivity toward nature. Renuka Tandon stated that the festival aims to provide both established filmmakers and emerging talent with an opportunity to engage in dialogue, learn, and share their stories with the world. She also expressed her commitment to establishing Lucknow as a robust creative hub. A Captivating Blend of Indian and International Films
The festival featured Indian films such as ‘Three of Us’ and ‘A Legacy Remembered,’ alongside a presentation by filmmaker Manta Jogi. A variety of social themes and storytelling styles were showcased through short films and documentaries, including ‘Chai,’ ‘Vanaba,’ ‘Weaving Hope,’ ‘Moving Photo,’ ‘Ana,’ ‘Shree,’ ‘Jan Shikshan Sansthan,’ and ‘Murder at Monkey Hill.’
The international segment highlighted the diversity of global cinema with films from Spain, Pakistan, Poland, Australia, Italy, and France. These included ‘Al Fresco,’ ‘The Shadows Left Behind,’ ‘Matka (Mother),’ ‘Slow Dating,’ ‘Dear Tilo,’ ‘L’Acquario (The Aquarium),’ and ‘Blanchette and the Eight Cents.’ The program also featured a trailer for ‘Cartapesta,’ a 30-second introductory audio piece, and a promotional film for the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department.
A Special Focus on AI, Animation, and New Technologies
‘Imaginarium 2026’ serves as a key highlight of the festival. It includes masterclasses, panel discussions, and special sessions centered on AI-assisted filmmaking, animation, gaming, and emerging creative technologies. Other major attractions include a masterclass on the making of ‘Return of the Jungle’ and a curated collection of Polish animated films.
In a special segment titled ‘The Final Frame,’ the film ‘Untrapped,’ directed by Jyoti Kapur Das, was screened. This was followed by a discussion featuring Jyoti Kapur Das, Sahana Rao, and Mark S. Bennington, who explored the filmmaking process and their respective creative approaches. Honoring Talent at the ‘Aao Film Banayein’ (Let’s Make a Film) Awards
Winners across various categories and members of the jury were honored at the ‘Aao Film Banayein’ Awards, held as part of the festival. The jury panel included Jyoti Kapur Das, Rajesh Bhatia, Tahzeeb Khurana, Rochana Kumar, Bharat Arora, and Sahana Rao.
Key award recipients included: Trupti Bhoir, who received ₹25,000 and a trophy for Best Female Director; the short film ‘Chai’, which won ₹25,000 and a trophy; the documentary ‘Jan Shikshan Sansthan’, awarded ₹30,000 and a trophy; the animation film ‘Until Can Fly’, which received ₹25,000 and a trophy; the AI-assisted film ‘Spring in a Bottle’, awarded ₹15,000 and a trophy; and the student film ‘Shree’, which received ₹15,000 and a trophy.
Other honors included: Deep Baw for Best Sound Design (‘Keel’), Anadi Athale for Best Editing (‘Weaving Hope’), Vishal Verma for Best Cinematography (for a film by Manta Jogi), Jagdish Tiwari for Best Screenplay (‘Aaina’), and Prajwal HG for Best Direction (‘Vanaba’). The award for Best Female Performer went to Anuradha Sumit Salunkhe (‘Anagha’), while the award for Best Male Performer was presented to Bharat Raj (‘Vanaba’). In the short film category, ‘The Bridge’ was awarded the first prize.
On the first day of the festival, the special film ‘Killing a Traitor’ was screened. Following a day filled with film screenings, discussions, and creative activities, the event concluded with a bhajan sandhya (an evening of devotional songs).
Support and the Role of the Organizing Team
The festival is supported by the Uttar Pradesh Department of Tourism, which serves as its presenter. BBD is the sponsor of the AI Hackathon, while LMHA has provided significant support to the Lucknow Film Forum’s ‘Film Calendar’ initiative.
Vibha Agarwal, Ambrish Tandon, Namita Gupta, Rachna Tandon, Rochana Kumar, Usha Vishwakarma, Vibhu Kaushik, Parth, Dev Verma, Lakshmi, Anupama, Anu Yadav, Deepak Vishwakarma, Rishika Sharma, Shirali Tiwari, Shalini Singh, Lakshya Mishra, Shayan Akhtar, and Tradiki Mishra contributed to the success of the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
