Hyderabad Gears Up For Niri9 International Film Festival As Socially Relevant Cinema Takes Centrestage This Weekend

Hyderabad is set to host two days of politically engaged, socially urgent, and internationally celebrated cinema as the third edition of the Niri9 International Film Festival arrives in the city on January 10 and 11, 2026. Known for its strong curatorial focus on human rights, marginalised voices, and global realities, the festival promises a tightly packed programme of screenings, conversations, and cultural exchange.

This year’s edition brings together filmmakers, performers, legal minds, and artists from across India and abroad, reinforcing Niri9’s growing reputation as a platform where cinema is not just viewed, but actively discussed and debated. Among the notable personalities expected to attend are actress Seema Biswas, singer Lou Majaw, singer Carlyta Mouhini, and former Justice of the Guwahati High Court, Shri Ajit Borthakur.

The festival will open with the critically acclaimed supernatural thriller Dahini – The Witch (2022), directed by Rajesh Touchriver. Starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, J.D. Chakravarthy, and Sruthy Jayan, the film blends genre storytelling with social commentary, a combination that has earned it significant international recognition. Dahini has previously won Best Feature Film at the Titan International Film Festival and Best International Feature Film at the Pacific Beach International Festival, along with a nomination at the Swedish International Film Festival.

Special screenings

One of the festival’s highlights is the special screening of Kooki, directed by Pranab J Deka. An unsettling and socially urgent film, Kooki examines sexual violence and systemic failure through the experience of a teenage survivor. Unflinching in its approach, the film challenges the normalisation of sexual crimes and urges audiences to confront the silences that surround survivors.

Equally powerful is The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind Four Daughters. Based on real emergency call recordings, the film documents the final moments of six-year-old Hind Rajab during the Gaza conflict. Having premiered at major international festivals including Venice and Toronto, the film stands as a stark reminder of cinema’s ability to preserve memory, bear witness, and humanise global tragedies often reduced to headlines.

Dialogue and Industry Insights

In addition to films, the festival will host a panel discussion on film production, co-production, and distribution at national and global levels, offering valuable insights for filmmakers, students, and cinephiles interested in the business and logistics of socially driven cinema.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Day 1 – January 10, 2026

10:00 am - Inaugural Ceremony

At: Samskruti Auditorium, Raj Bhawan, Hyderabad

1:30 pm onwards - Film Screenings

At: Prasad Film Lab, Hyderabad

Day 2 – January 11, 2026

10:00 am - Film Screenings

At: Prasad Film Lab, Hyderabad

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm - Panel Discussion: Film production, co-production, and distribution nationally and globally

5:00 pm onwards - Closing Ceremony

At: Samskruti Auditorium, Raj Bhawan, Hyderabad

For Hyderabad’s audiences, the third edition offers not just a chance to watch award-winning films, but to engage with cinema as a tool for empathy, resistance, and reflection.