Nagari Film Festival 2025 showcases India’s public spaces through documentaries at SAF
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ
From bustling alleyways to serene waterfronts, India’s public spaces pulse with life, culture and community. These stories are captured at the Nagari Film Festival 2025, screening documentary films at Maquinez Palace Theatre, Panaji, as part of the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF).
The films will be screened on December 16 and 17, with daily sessions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The festival began on December 15 with an award ceremony, screenings of the Nagari Short Films 2025, and panel discussions with mentors and jury members on this year’s theme, ‘Public Realm in Urban India’. The afternoon programme had a screening of ‘City on the Water’ (1975) by architect Charles Correa. Made 50 years ago, the film documents a city under pressure and reflects Correa’s advocacy for Mumbai’s expansion across the harbour.
Director of the Charles Correa Foundation (CCF) Nondita Correa Mehrotra says the festival aims to spark dialogue on improving living conditions and promoting social and economic equity in urban spaces. “Through screenings and discussions, the festival encourages public engagement and collective action while making urban issues accessible to diverse audiences,” adds Mehrotra.
Over the years, Nagari has evolved into an archive of urban narratives spanning more than 24 cities, documenting everyday life and contemporary realities in Indian cities.
Earlier editions of Nagari explored themes such as housing adequacy, livelihoods, water, reclaiming urban commons and mobility. “This year, the focus is on the public realm. In Indian cities, these include maidans, gardens, streets, footpaths, markets, alleyways and transport infrastructure,” says Mehrotra. The theme looks at how these spaces are layered by use and scale and how different social groups interact within them.
The festival also highlights challenges related to housing, livelihoods, transportation and environmental degradation through short films that avoid technical jargon. “The goal is to make these issues relatable to the public,” adds Mehrotra.
The Charles Correa Foundation plays an important role in curating and mentoring the filmmakers. Scripts are evaluated each year with mentors and those that go with the theme are selected for production. In partnership with the Tata Trusts, 12 films were produced this year. The Foundation also facilitates screenings and public forums to promote the films across India.
This year’s programme has been curated from the Nagari archive of nearly 60 films. The competition received around 100 entries, from which 12 films were produced under guidance from mentors including Jabeen Merchant, Bina Paul, Deepa Dhanraj, Pankaj Rishi Kumar, Sourav Sarangi and Rajula Shah.
A total of 36 films are being screened at the festival, including 30 from the Nagari short film archive. Most are urban documentaries, with some using narrative and experimental elements. The filmmakers come from diverse backgrounds, including independent filmmakers, students, architects, researchers and urban practitioners. “The festival supports teams from different fields to show different perspectives on urban issues,” says Mehrotra.
