Wench Film Festival, India’s first and only Horror / Sci Fi / Fantasy Festival founded by Sapna Moti Bhavnani, returns with its 6th edition.
The festival will screen 54 films, 33 directed by women, once again bringing the female perspective to the centre stage. The films will be shown under three different categories: Blood Thirsty (More than 60 mins), (Dwarves (10 to 40 mins), and Elves (Less than 10 mins).
The festival will Open with the India Premiere of Ritesh Gupta’s The Red Mask, who will do a post-screening Q&A and Close with Fantasia winner feature ‘Mother of Flies’ by Adams Family.
‘Sapna Moti Bhavnani’s latest short film Landfills of Desire which had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 is set to have the Asia premiere at Wench Film Festival. A quiet, surreal, and meditative horror short, the film was shot on Dal Lake in Kashmir with a Kashmiri folkloric figure Rantas as its elusive protagonist.
Marking a significant milestone, Wench is collaborating with National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) for the first time. The festival will be held from 19th-22nd February at SRFTI, Kolkata, and 26th February to March1 at NFDC, Mumbai
The visual and conceptual theme for Wench Film Festival 2026 is the hospital. Inspired by a member of the Wench team who experienced an exceptionally difficult year, followed by a serious leg injury and extended hospitalisation, the theme centres on the body reaching its limits. The hospital is not framed as a place of healing or resolution, but as a space where interruption becomes unavoidable where the body asserts itself after prolonged strain. This theme is dedicated to women who consistently stretch themselves across work, care, and creative labour, often without pause, until the body demands attention. The festival’s 2026 poster and visual language reflect this state of restraint, endurance, and enforced stillness.
Wench collaborates again with world’s top genre fest Fantasia and Bhavnani is all set to partner with Bloodstream to bring distribution to Wench Film Festival.
DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP WITH BLOODSTEAM
Wench has identified the missing link in India’s indie cinema is the lack of distribution so for the first time Wench Film Festival 2026 introduces an extended life for selected films through its distribution partnership with Bloodstream, an independent platform supporting alternative and non-mainstream cinema. Select films from the festival will be considered for curated distribution opportunities, allowing filmmakers to reach audiences beyond the festival circuit.This partnership reflects Wench’s commitment to supporting filmmakers not only through exhibition, but through continued visibility and access.
“Wench was built slowly, without a safety net. For a long time, it existed because of conviction rather than validation. Having institutions like NFDC come on board for the first time, alongside the support of SRFTI and our continuing collaborations with the French cultural bodies, feels like a quiet acknowledgment of years spent building something that didn’t have a template or guarantees. It allows the work to grow without losing its integrity.” says Sapna Moti Bhavnani, Founder, Wench Film Festival.
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
· Indian and international short and feature films
· Curated sections across horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and hybrid cinema
· A focus on new and emerging voices
· Special thematic programmes responding to the body, systems, memory, and transformation
· Filmmaker conversations, talks, and curated discussions
· An India Focus Day with Filmmakers in Attendance for QnA
· Closing Day dedicated to films Made by Woman – Female Drishti
· First of its kind – A Masterclass in SFX and Prosthetics by French Artists Accurate Dream
· First time – AI section called Pixels and Possession
· 54 Films – 20 from India, 9 from Asia, 33 Directed by Women!
The Jury for Blood Thirsty is Abby Wright (Programmer Femme Filth Festival), Kaizad Gustad (Writer / Filmmaker), Mo Moshaty (Editor Night Tide Magazine / Producer); Jury for DWARVES AND SILVER MÉLIÈS AWARD – Leila Taylor (Writer, Creative Director at Brooklyn Public Library), James McNally (Founder & Director, Shorts Not Pants FF), Sara Lopo (Programmer MOTELX / Fantastic Fest, Project Coordinator at BIF Market), Sultan Barodawala (Multi-Disciplinary Artist); Jury for ELVES– Claire Donner (Film Scholar, Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies Director (NY) 2022-2025), Shannon Hanmer (Producer, Programmer at Toronto After Dark FF), Simon Laperrière (Film scholar, Critic, Programmer and Instructor)
Jury https://wenchfilmfestival.com/#jury
KEY COLLABORATIONS & INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Wench Film Festival 2026 marks a significant milestone with the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) coming on board for the first time. This inaugural association represents an important moment for the festival, recognising Wench’s curatorial vision and sustained contribution to independent genre cinema in India.
Alongside this first-time collaboration with NFDC, the 2026 edition also welcomes a partnership with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), one of India’s premier film institutions. This collaboration strengthens Wench’s engagement with film education, emerging filmmakers, and critical dialogue around contemporary cinema practice.
Wench Film Festival continues its collaboration with the Embassy of France in India, supporting cultural exchange and sustained dialogue between Indian and French filmmakers and institutions.
Long-standing partnerships with the Institut Français and the Alliance Française further enable access to contemporary French cinema, curated programming, and artist-led conversations within the festival framework.
Together, these collaborations reflect Wench Film Festival’s growing institutional recognition and its commitment to building meaningful, long-term cultural relationships through cinema.
JOURNEY SO FAR
Since its first edition in 2021, WFF has screened 188 films and Spotlighted 495 Women. Wench is also a member of the prestigious Méilès International Festivals Federation.
Now in its 6th edition, Wench continues to function not just as a festival, but as a cultural platform engaging with cinema, sound, performance, AI, and new media to question how fear is constructed, who gets to tell these stories, and why genre matters in the present moment.
Curated screenings, conversations, and special programmes that reflect the festival’s core values: bold storytelling, artistic risk, and a resistance to formula.
The festival continues to support independent filmmakers working across narrative, experimental, and hybrid forms.
This festival is for filmmakers, artists, and audiences who engage deeply with genre cinema and are interested in how horror and speculative forms can open up new ways of seeing.
The festival will continue its hybrid format of physical screenings, talks, and industry engagement.
ABOUT WENCH FILM FESTIVAL
Wench Film Festival is an India-based genre festival dedicated to horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative storytelling. The festival is known for its rigorous curation, focus on form and authorship, and support of filmmakers exploring new cinematic languages.
Wench continues to evolve alongside changing creative practices while maintaining a strong commitment to thoughtful programming and artist support.
Wench Film Festival will continue to be a crucial pillar of the Wench blue-print that is committed to empowering the women and the non-binary voice with support across the entire value chain in the creator economy – Education, Funding, Community and Distribution.
Visit the website for more info https://www.wenchfilmfestival.com
About Sapna Bhavnani
Sapna Moti Bhavnani is best known for her award winning documentary Sindhustan (2019) which is about the largest migration of a culture (Sindhi) in history told through tattoos on her body. Sindhustan has won 11 Awards, travelled to 23 international festivals and is now streaming on MovieSaints.
Her second hybrid feature My Dog IS Sick was an official selection at the prestigious Visions Du Reel Film Market and World Premiered at New Horizons International Festival in 2021. The story for Sapna’s next horror feature Bearlike Man was officially selected at NAFF presented by Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2021 making her the first Indian Woman Director to ever get selected and in 2022 at the BIFFF genre market. She was also selected at BIFAN in 2022 as an official mentee at the Fantastic Film School.
In July 2020 Sapna launched her production company called Wench Films to empower the female gaze. Keeping the same Wench philosophy, she founded Wench Film Festival – India’s first Horror Film Festival. Since its first edition in 2021, WIFF has screened 146 films and Spotlighted 352 Women. In Oct 2024, she launched India’s first Zombiecon.
She is currently writing the screenplay for Bearlike Man which was an official selection in the NAFF and BIFFF markets and developing a hybrid feature titled Wolf Song based on a young woman with hypertrichosis, also known as the “werewolf syndrome’ and her inspiring journey to become a singer, unravelling the transformative power of music amidst familial and societal challenges. Wolf Song has been officially selected as a WomanInFan Finalist at Sitges 2024.
MASTERCLASSES https://wenchfilmfestival.com/#masterclasses
WHAT LINGERS | SRFTI | KOL 21 FEB @ 4pm
DR RIKSUNDAR BANERJEE
Beyond Cinema: The Spectres of Bollywood delves into the eerie transition of Indian horror from low-budget cult classics to high-concept supernatural epics. In 2026, this genre is being redefined through original folklore and psychological dread, moving past traditional jump scares to explore haunting cultural myths. By blending atmospheric storytelling with modern cinematic techniques, these films examine the lingering spirits that bridge the gap between ancient.
ABOUT DR BANERJEE
Dr. Riksundar Banerjee is a distinguished scholar, author, and filmmaker with a deep interest in the intersection of folklore, literature, and the supernatural. Holding an M.A. in Bengali from Jadavpur University, Dr. Banerjee pursued a Ph.D. focused on *Ghosts in Literature: Traditions and Evolution*, exploring how the spectral figure has evolved across cultures and time.
He is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including *Haunted Places of India* and *The Book of Indian Ghosts* (both published by Aleph Book Company). His other works, such as *Ashoriri Ovidhan* and *Cholar Pother Khorkuto* (published by Dhansere), delve into Bengali literary traditions and folklore. Additionally, his collection *Chhayashorir: Sekal Ekaler Bhoot er Golper Sonkolon* (Trityio Porisor) gathers ghost stories from different historical periods, reflecting his expertise in both traditional and contemporary narratives of the supernatural. His book *Trainer Adda: Bangaleer Bhinno Sangskritik Porisor* (Setu Prokashoni) examines the cultural and intellectual landscapes of Bengali society.
Dr. Banerjee is also an active contributor to the field of cinema, having worked as the script and screenplay writer for the feature film *BhotBhoti*. He has written and directed the short film *Golpo Na* and was the associate director and writer for *Stuck*. His insightful articles and features have been published in *ABP* and *Telegraph*, where he brings a unique perspective to Bengali and Indian cultural narratives.
An engaged academic, Dr. Banerjee has also presented papers on *Ghosts in Machines and Technology* at the University of York, UK, further expanding the conversation on how technology interacts with traditional notions of the supernatural.
BLOOD & BUDGETS | NFDC | MUM 28 FEB @ 430pm
ATIT SHAH
Blood & Budgets is a producer-focused masterclass that looks closely at the realities of getting a genre film made. Led by Atit Shah, producer of Wench Film Festival’s opening film Red Mask, the session centres on one project and its journey.
Atit will walk through how Red Mask was developed and funded, the challenges of pitching a genre film, the decisions taken at each stage, and what it actually takes to move a project forward when there is no established template or guaranteed backing.
The masterclass offers an honest, practical look at funding a genre film in today’s landscape what worked, what didn’t, and what producers can realistically expect when bringing bold genre work to life.
ABOUT ATIT SHAH
Atit Shah is an award-winning film producer and CEO of Create Entertainment. Based in LA, he has produced over a dozen feature films, including Universal’s Remember Me, Netflix’s Brown Nation, and 20th Century Fox’s Money. His projects have garnered global distribution and numerous accolades, including 23 awards for Money.
Other notable titles include The Crash (2017) and his debut feature, An Act of War (2015). Recent releases include Monsoon (Amazon) and Forgive Don’t Forget (Hulu). Upcoming in 2025 are The Red Mask, An Enemy Within, and Adventure Tom.
A George Washington University alum, Shah previously held roles at Thomson Reuters and teaches film finance at institutions like IFP and Sundance.
THE BODY AS EFFECT |
SRFTI | KOL 22 FEB @ 10AM
Harkat studios | MUM 24 FEB @ 2PM
THIS WORKSHOP IS FREE AND SPONSORED BY Embassy of France in India / French Institute in India Mumbai
The Prosthetics & SFX Workshop by Accurate Dream offers a hands-on introduction to practical effects and prosthetic techniques used in contemporary genre cinema.
Led by artists Daniel Weimer and Franck Dubois from the France-based studio, the session focuses on materials, process, and execution demonstrating how physical effects are designed, built, and applied to create believable transformations and injuries on screen. The workshop foregrounds craft over spectacle, giving participants insight into the discipline, precision, and planning behind effective prosthetics work.
The workshop is designed for filmmakers and makeup artists looking to explore character transformation, expand their visual language, or update their craft through practical, process-led learning.
ABOUT ACCURATE DREAM
Accurate Dream is a French special makeup effects studio, active for over ten years in film and audiovisual productions. Working as both a creative workshop and an on-set team, the studio designs and applies high-end prosthetic makeup for films, TV series and genre projects worldwide.
Founded by Daniel Weimer and Franck Dubois, Accurate Dream creates tailor-made practical effects that serve storytelling and performance, from concept and fabrication to on-set application. The studio is known for its work on creatures, transformations, aging makeup and realistic injuries.
COMPLETE FILM CATALOGUE
(Here is a link to all Stills sections for all the categories of films, Blood thirsty, Elves and Dwarves)
Link for Tickets
Mumbai- NFDC
Kolkata- SRFTI
POSTER
FESTIVAL TRAILER
Sapna’s Photo
Sapna’s Bio
HERE IS THE PRESS RELEASE
Press Release – Landfills of Desire
Link for complete screening schedule
Still to update
Wench Film Festival Instagram
Sapna’s Instagram
Website
CLOSING FILM – MOTHER OF FLIES STILL
OPENING FILM – THE RED MASK STILLS
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