Festival Dignitaries & Team
Hyderabad International Short Film Festival 2025
Festival Collaborators
Shri DIL RAJU
Producer • Chairman, Telangana Film Development Corporation (TFDC)
Award-winning Indian film producer & distributor (Sri Venkateswara Creations). Two National Awards (Best Popular Film) for Sathamanam Bhavati (2016) & Maharshi (2019); Nagi Reddy–Chakrapani Award (2013). Producer of Arya, Bommarillu, Fidaa, Balagam. Serving as TFDC Chairman since late-2024.
Smt. Priyanka, IAS
Managing Director, Telangana Film Development Corporation Limited (TGFDC)
Civil servant and arts advocate strengthening Telangana's creative industries — building infrastructure, incentives, and pathways for film, TV & theatre; positioning Telangana as a hub for cultural and cinematic growth.
Festival Promoters
Shri JAYESH RANJAN
Special Chief Secretary (FAC) – Youth Advancement
Tourism & Culture Department, Government of Telangana
Senior IAS officer leading Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture. Drives initiatives across entrepreneurship, tourism, digital innovation and youth empowerment; shaping Telangana's forward-looking global image.
Smt. VALLURU KRANTHI, IAS
Managing Director – Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Limited
Director (FAC) – Department of Tourism, Government of Telangana
Administrator championing heritage, infrastructure, and experiential tourism. Leads sustainable, community-centric projects expanding Telangana's cultural tourism footprint.
Festival Patron & Advisors
C. Umamaheswara Rao
Festival Patron
National Award-winning director & screenwriter. Former Jury Chair (West) and Member (Central) at the 67th National Awards. Founder of Dadasaheb Phalke School of Film Studies; noted for films like Ankuram that explore human rights and relations.
PREMENDRA MAZUMDER
Festival Advisor
Film critic, curator, and organiser; VP, Federation of Film Societies of India; General Secretary, FIPRESCI India; founder of South Asian Short Film Festival & World Film Festival Kolkata. Recipient of Vijaya Mulay (2023), Satyajit Ray Memorial (2018), Ritwik Ghatak (2016).
Christopher Dalton
Festival Advisor
Film critic, journalist, and festival organiser. Founder, Cinema Society of India; CEO, House of Illusions. Co-author and editor (Cinematic Illusions; Journal of Indian Cinema). Served on the Jury of the 67th National Film Awards.
Also Supported By
Members of the Society of Dadasaheb Phalke School of Film Studies.
Administrative Team
C.NANDAN BABU
Festival Director
M.Sc. Electronic Media; 18+ years across film & media. Assistant Director & Cinematographer (under Madhu Ambat), ad films director, Programming Head (Radio Mirchi), Content Editor (Gaana South). Principal, Dadasaheb Phalke School of Film Studies (8+ years).
MADHU MAHANKALI
Festival Director
FTII Pune alumnus with 15+ feature films across Assamese, Telugu, and Hindi. Produced many TV shows and ad films via Dhriti Media. His short *The Journey* and feature *Parampara* won international awards; other works screened worldwide.
MR. VARA PRASAD
Administrative Director
Gold medalist in Photography from JNFAU. Experienced cinematographer in Ads and Corporate films. 10 years faculty experience including HOD (Cinematography) at DPSFS for 8 years and faculty at AISFM for 2 years. Guest Faculty at NIFT for 8+ batches.
HESHVANTH GURUKUL
Festival Operations Head
Assistant Director on Telugu features; member of director Bommarillu Bhaskar’s writing team. Short film Breaking Out screened nationally & internationally. Oversees HISFF operations.
Festival Jury
NASSER
Actor • Director • President, Nadigar Sangam
NAGESH KUKUNOOR
Writer • Director
Maithili Rao
Film Critic & Author
Utpal Borpujari
Filmmaker and Former Film Critic
Aarti Shrivastava
Documentary Filmmaker
Biplab Goswami
Screenwriter • Director • Editor
Abhishek Chettri
Filmmaker from Sikkim
Festival Dignitaries
SASHI KUMAR
Founder, Asianet • Chairman, Asiaville Interactive
Judy Gladstone
Canadian film executive and cultural leader
ALEXANDER LEO POU
Writer • Director • Producer
SUNZU BACHASPATIMAYUM
Documentary Filmmaker