Filmathon Deadline Extended: WIF India and Google Flow Give AI Filmmakers Until 5 November
Deadlines, in the film industry, are less walls than weather. They shift with demand. Women in Film India has just confirmed as much: the submission deadline for Filmathon, its short film contest with Google Flow, has been extended to 5 November 2026.
The organisers cite an "overwhelming response." Registered participants have been sent their submission links by email; new filmmakers can submit through the link in WIF India's Instagram bio.
The brief, in short
Eligibility: Indian nationals aged 18 and above
Length: up to five minutes
Tool: Google Flow must be part of the filmmaking process, and its watermark must stay visible and unaltered
Theme: none prescribed, though content must suit a U/A audience
Rights: all music, footage and other material must be cleared
Entry fee: none listed; entrants arrange their own Flow access
What is at stake
First place: ₹12 lakh
Second: ₹8 lakh
Third: ₹4 lakh
Winners also receive accommodation and economy return flights to the IFFI Goa showcase, scheduled for 23 November
The top five films may be showcased at IFFI Goa 2026
Prize money is subject to Indian income tax, which is the sort of footnote worth reading before you spend it.
The larger question
Google describes Flow as a creative workspace built on its Gemini and Veo models, a canvas for arranging scenes, editing clips and layering sound. WIF India, founded by Guneet Monga Kapoor, has framed the contest as room to experiment. "There is so much talent and so many stories waiting to be explored," she said at the launch.
What interests me is the pairing. An organisation built to widen access for women in cinema has partnered with a tool that lowers the cost of making a film at all. Whether that widening holds once the novelty settles is a question for next year. For now, the window is open until Thursday.
If you are heading to Goa for the showcase, our IFFI 2026 guide has the dates and delegate details.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new Filmathon deadline?
Film submissions now close on 5 November 2026.
Who can enter?
Indian nationals aged 18 and above, with original work.
How long can the film be?
Up to five minutes. Google Flow must be part of the process, and its watermark must remain visible.
What are the prizes?
₹12 lakh for first place, ₹8 lakh for second and ₹4 lakh for third, plus travel and accommodation for the IFFI Goa showcase. The top five films may be showcased at IFFI Goa 2026.
Is there an entry fee?
No entry fee is listed, but participants must arrange their own access to Google Flow.
Kenneth Hopkins is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AltBollywood. Indofuturist, posthumanist and unapologetically Indocentric, he describes himself as an epimemeticist, a swaraji, a freakonomist, a lexicographer and a cartochronicler, mapping the ideas, words and quiet shifts that shape Indian entertainment. Follow him on Instagram at @kennethhopkins.
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