Films Wing

All matters relating to film viz. promoting production, dissemination, and preservation of filmic content including organization of International Film Festival of India, other national and international film festivals, sanctioning of films, granting film shooting permission, holding National Film Awards are handled in Films Wing.

Activities under the Films Wing are performed by the following organizations :

1. Central Board of Film Certification

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body under this Ministry for regulation of films for public exhibition, under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. On Certification of the CBFC, films can be publicly exhibited in India.

The Board consists of non-official members and a Chairman which functions with the Headquarter at Mumbai. The members of panel are nominated and appointed by the Central Government for a period of two years by drawing people from different walks of life. CBFC has nine regional offices, functioning at Bangalore, Chennai, Cuttack, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram. The regional offices are assisted by Advisory Panels for examination of films.

The films are certified in following categories in accordance with the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 and the guidelines issued by the Central Government under Section 5 (B) of Cinematograph Act, 1952:

  • अ:U – Unrestricted Public Exhibition.
  • अ/व:U/A – Unrestricted Public Exhibition but with a word of caution that discretion required for children below 12 years.
  • व:A – Restricted to adults.
  • S - Restricted to any special class of persons.

Central Board of Film Certification has also been incorporated with online Certification facility to process the applications received for public exhibition certificate.

To visit Central Board of Film Certification’s Website, go to https://www.cbfcindia.gov.in
To apply online for certification of films, go to https://www.ecinepramaan.gov.in



2. Childrens Film Society India

Children’s Film Society, India (CFSI), an autonomous body under the aegis of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, was established in May, 1955. The organization is registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, with the main objective of providing children and young people with ‘value based’ entertainment through the medium of films. The Society is headed by the Chairman, who is an eminent personality in the field of cinema. He also heads the Executive Council (EC) and the General Body (GB), members of which are nominated by Government of India. The Chief Executive Officer is the head of the department handling day-to-day functions of administration, production, marketing and accounts. The headquarters of CFSI is located at Mumbai with branch offices at New Delhi and Chennai. It receives Grants-in-Aid from this Ministry for its activities. The main activities performed by CFSI include Production of Children’s Films, Exhibition of Children’s Films in Schools and Organization of International Children’s Film Festival & National Children’s Film Festival.

To visit Children’s Film Society, India’s website, go to http://cfsindia.org/



3. Directorate of Film Festivals

The Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) was set up under this Ministry in 1973 with the objective of promotion of Indian films and cultural exchange through organization of various events in the country and participation in various International film festivals in abroad. The following events and programmes are undertaken by DFF for the purpose:

  • The National Film Awards and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
  • International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
  • Participation in Cultural Exchange Programmes and organizing screening of Indian films in abroad through our Missions.
  • Selection of films for Indian Panorama.
  • Organizing special film expositions such as retrospective, Indian Panorama film’s screening, National Awards wining film’s screening and theme based film festivals throughout the country.
  • Collection, preservation and documentation of prints of Indian Panorama films for non-commercial screenings.


Directorate of Film Festivals has also been designated as Nodal Agency for scrutiny of applications received for financial assistance under the Film Promotion Fund.

To visit Directorate of Film Festivals’ Website, go to https://www.dff.nic.in



4. Film and Television Institute of India

The Film Institute of India was set-up by the Government of India in 1960 under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The institute was registered as a Society in October, 1974 under the Registration of Societies’ Act, 1860 with the aim to provide high standard film and television education in India. Following the addition of Television Wing in 1974, the Institute was re-designated as Film and Television Institute of India. The Institute consists of two Wings: The Film and the TV Wing. The Film Wing offers five courses for the period of three years i.e. Post Graduate Diploma in Direction and Screenplay Writing, Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound Recording & Sound Design, Art Direction & Production Design , a two year Post Graduate Diploma Course in Acting and a one year post graduate certificate course in Feature Film Screenplay Writing. TV Wing offers four one year Post Graduate Certificate courses in Direction, Electronics Cinematography, Video Editing and Sound Recording & TV Engineering. As 12 seats are offered in each specialization, FTII offers 132 seats in 11 specializations.

To visit Film & Television Institute of India’s website, go to http://www.ftiindia.com/



5. Films Division

Films Division, headquartered at Mumbai, was established in 1948 by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting primarily to produce documentaries and news magazines for publicity of Government programmes and cinematic record of Indian history. For over 67 years, Films Division has produced more than 8000 documentaries, short films, animation films and news magazines on themes ranging from agriculture to art & architecture, from industry to the international scenes, from food to festivals, from healthcare to housing, from science and technology to sport s, from trade and commerce to transport, from tribal welfare to community development etc. The main activities performed by Division include Production of Documentary Films, Organization of Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films (MIFF) etc. National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) is also being established through Films Division.

To visit Films Division’s Website, go to http://www.filmsdivision.org



6. National Film Archives of India

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has set up National Film Archive of India (NFAI) in 1964 with the primary objective of acquiring and preserving Indian cinematic heritage. This includes preservation of film and non-film material including but not limited to celluloid, stills, glass slides, posters, lobby cards, scripts and song booklets.

Being the national custodian for preservation of audio visual heritage, NFAI is committed to acquisition, preservation, restoration and dissemination of India’s socio-cultural heritage.

NFAI often collaborates with national and international institutes to not only promote Indian cinema but also to bring world cinema home in the form of film festivals, seminars and workshops.

To visit National Film Archive of India’s Website, go to https://www.nfai.gov.in



7. National Film Development Corporation

National Film Development Corporation Ltd. (NFDC), incorporated in the year 1975, (100% owned Central Public Sector Undertaking) was formed by the Government of India with the primary objective of planning and promoting an organized, efficient, and integrated development of the Indian film industry. NFDC has so far funded / produced over 300 films. These films, in various Indian languages, have been widely acclaimed and have won many national and international awards. The primary activities of NFDC are Film Production – 100% finance for debutant directors & Co-Production with Foreign & Indian Film Makers, Promoting Indian Films at various International Film Festivals and markets in India and abroad, NFDC’s Film Bazaar has now become one of the leading platform for promoting & showcasing Indian cinema to the world. NFDC is now positioned as a 360-degree integrated media service provider for the creation and dissemination of advertising communication across various electronic platforms. Ministry of I&B has taken the lead with a long-term objective of positioning and promoting India as a preferred destination for filmmakers across the world, by setting up the Film Facilitation Office (FFO), which is housed under the aegis of NFDC.

To visit National Film Development Corporation’s website, go to https://www.nfdcindia.com/



8. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata

Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) was established in 1995 by the Government of India as an autonomous academic institution under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Institute is registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961 with the aim to provide high standard film and television education in India. Named after the legendary film maestro Satyajit Ray, the institute provides higher and professional education and technical expertise in the art and technique of film-making and television production. SRFTI offers 3-year post-graduate diploma courses in 6(six) specializations - Direction & Screenplay Writing, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Recording & Design, Producing for Film & Television & Animation Cinema. The intake for each course is 12 students. In each course, 2 seats are reserved for foreign nationals. SRFTI has also started 2 years post graduate diploma course on Electronics & Digital Media (E&DM) from FY 2017-18.

SRFTI is also running a temporary campus of proposed Film & Television Institute at Itanagar for people of North-East. The Institute had already conducted 3 short term courses styled "Short Trip to Cinema".

To visit Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute’s website, go to http://srfti.ac.in/



9. Films Division

Films Division, headquartered at Mumbai, was established in 1948 by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting primarily to produce documentaries and news magazines for publicity of Government programmes and cinematic record of Indian history. For over 67 years, Films Division has produced more than 8000 documentaries, short films, animation films and news magazines on themes ranging from agriculture to art & architecture, from industry to the international scenes, from food to festivals, from healthcare to housing, from science and technology to sport s, from trade and commerce to transport, from tribal welfare to community development etc. The main activities performed by Division include Production of Documentary Films, Organization of Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films (MIFF) etc. National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) is also being established through Films Division.

To visit Films Division’s Website, go to http://www.filmsdivision.org



10. Film Facilitation Office



11. Film Certification Appellate Tribunal

  • About Members
  • Appeal Form
  • Film Certification Appellate Tribunal
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Orders
  • Practice Directions
  • Procedure for Filing Appeals