Plastic Trophies & Empty Halls: How Poorly Managed Film Festivals Are Killing Cinema’s Prestige

Film festivals were once the temples of cinema — where legends were discovered, revolutions were born, and awards actually meant something. Today? It sometimes feels like there’s a “film festival” happening in every banquet hall, college auditorium, or even a WhatsApp group.

Welcome to the golden age of “Festival Spam” — where plastic trophies and recycled certificates flow faster than multiplex popcorn.

How Low-Grade Festivals Degrade the Circle

Here’s what’s gone wrong:

1. Participation Fee Mania 

   • Instead of curating films, many small festivals curate… entry fees.

   • Every film is “officially selected” as long as your card doesn’t decline.

2. No Real Audience 

   • Some festivals screen films to empty halls or worse — to the festival organizers themselves (who are busy updating Instagram stories).

3. Plastic Trophy Obsession 🏆

   • Every film gets an award: “Best Smile on Set,” “Best Raindrop in a Song Sequence.”

   • The more categories, the more entry fees, the more “winners.” Everybody goes home with a trophy — nobody goes home with respect.

4. Lack of Curation 

   • Top festivals build their reputation by rejecting 90% of entries.

   • Bad ones accept everything, which means gems drown in a sea of mediocrity.

5. Zero Networking, Zero Industry Value 

   • Great festivals are marketplaces for ideas, collaborations, and careers.

   • Poorly organized ones don’t even have functioning projectors.

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✅ Best Practices to Actually Add Value

If festival organizers want to stop being meme material, they need to:

• Keep Entry Selective, Not Exploitative: Quality over quantity.

• Screen for Real Audiences: Not just jury members and their cousins.

• Limit Awards to Genuine Merit: No “Best Poster Boyfriend” awards, please.

• Invite Industry Mentors: Panels, workshops, masterclasses add real learning.

• Transparency in Judging: Clear criteria, credible juries, no favoritism.

• Build Partnerships: With streaming platforms, cultural bodies, tourism boards.

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🌍 Why Overseas Festivals Still Matter

Let’s face it: Indian filmmakers drool over Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance… and for good reason.

• Prestige & Credibility: A Cannes laurel = global stamp of quality.

• Exposure: Your film isn’t just seen, it’s discussed, reviewed, bought.

• Networking: Producers, distributors, sales agents, critics — all under one roof.

• Cultural Validation: It positions Indian cinema in the global narrative.

It’s not about inferiority complex; it’s about infrastructure, curation, and credibility that our home festivals often lack.

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Why India Must Strengthen Its Own Festivals

India has the audience, the diversity, the talent, and the cultural power to run world-class festivals. If we do it right:

• Boost Tourism: Like Cannes is to France, Goa or Kerala festivals can be magnets.

• Global Exchange: Give overseas films equal spotlight — cinema has no borders.

• Cultural Pride: Showcase India as not just Bollywood, but a diverse cinematic nation.

• Industry Growth: Networking platforms will fuel collaborations and co-productions.

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Indian Film Festivals with Potential

These festivals, if polished and backed well, could truly match global standards:

• International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa

• Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI)

• Kerala International Film Festival (IFFK)

• Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF)

• Pune International Film Festival (PIFF)

• Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFES)

• Ajanta Ellora international film festival

They have the location, the audience, and the history — what they need is professionalism, tighter curation, and global outreach.

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Final Thought

Badly run festivals are like bad sequels — nobody asked for them, nobody remembers them, and yet they keep coming.

India doesn’t need more plastic laurel festivals; it needs world-class platforms where cinema is celebrated, careers are built, and audiences discover something unforgettable.

Until then, beware of the festival that emails you:
“Congratulations! You’ve won BEST FILM — please pay 10,000 ₹ or $100 shipping for your trophy.”

Which are the worst film festivals you came across in India? Let us know in the comments.