PRAKRITI: International Documentary Film Festival
Prakriti is a prestigious documentary film festival organized by the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi, following the approval granted at the 7th Meeting of the Governing Board held on May 26, 1997. Initially conceptualized as a non-competitive platform, the festival has evolved into a significant national event, held annually at diverse locations across India. It offers a dynamic space for documentary filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with audiences on pressing social and environmental themes.
The inaugural Prakriti Film Festival was held from 17th to 19th December 1997 at the Institute of Chemical Technology and Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, in collaboration with EMRC Hyderabad. Since then, the festival has travelled to various cities including Pune, Bhopal, Goa, Pondicherry (2008), Jodhpur (2010), Tripura (2011), Mysore (2012), Calicut (2014), Kolkata(2015), Chandigarh (2017), Chennai (2019), Mysore (2021), Madurai (2022), and Ahmedabad (2023). The most recent edition took place at EMRC, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, in December 2024.
Each edition features a curated selection of documentaries, chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors. Filmmakers, producers, or their representatives are invited to participate in interactive sessions with audiences, facilitating meaningful discussions on the issues explored in their films.
The core aim of PrakritiFestival is to raise awareness and foster public engagement around critical themes including environment, development, human rights, and swachhbharat. In line with this vision, a dedicated Swachh Bharat category was introduced in 2018 to spotlight initiatives and narratives aligned with the national cleanliness movement.
Through its screenings and dialogues, PrakritiFilm Festival strives to sensitize viewers, promote dialogue, and encourage informed civic participation, contributing to a more conscious and responsible society.
The Prakriti Film Festival has expanded its wings to provide a larger canvas to paint the footprints on the educational aspects of equity, ethics and ecology. In the year 2018, the festival embraced a competitive format, and its reach was extended beyond India to include the South East Asian region. This expansion aimed to enhance visibility and foster greater awareness of pressing social and environmental issues on a more global scale.

AWARD:
All submitted documentaries will be reviewed by a panel of eminent jurors, who will carefully evaluate each entry and select documentaries for screening under the four categories i.e. Environment, Development, Human Rights, and the Swachh Bharat (Clean India campaign).
In each category, one or more outstanding documentaries will be selected for the Best Documentary Award, which includes:


THE ORGANIZER:
Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) [http://cec.nic.in], is an Inter-University Centre of University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi. It has 20 Educational Multimedia Research Centers spread across India in various academic institutions. CEC is engaged in production of educational video programs and development of courseware for tertiary education using multimedia. These content is disseminated through various platforms like DTH Channels (SwayamPrabha), YouTube, Internet, etc. benefitting millions of students, teachers, researchers and general public across the country. CEC is also engaged in building ICT environment and promoting the use of ICT in pedagogical practices. CEC is also an active partner of Ministry of Education, Govt. of India initiative for development and delivery of MOOCs.