ABILITYFEST 2025 India International Disability Film Festival, was held from July 7 2025 at PVR INOX, Sathyam Cinemas Chennai. This was the 9th edition of this pioneering event, and we would really like to thank the sponsors for making every edition of the event possible,and the public for coming in large numbers over the years to watch each screening.
We had some amazing films this year from around the world by, with and about people with disabilities. Award winning films from across the world were selected to give the Festival a global perspective to disability and inclusion. These included a selection of highly acclaimed films from across the globe.
• Upside Down (Italy)
• Ab, Bad, Khak, Nan and Abrash (Iran)
• Zomervacht (Netherlands)
• Ania z Piekielnika (Poland)
• Dancer (Mongolia)
• Working Differently (UK)
• Daruma, THUNDER ROLLS! The World of Blind Baseball,
and the animated gem Luki and the Lights! (USA)
We were delighted to present a veritable film feast from India.
Highlights included the first public screening of the blockbuster Tamil film Tourist Family, which was specially audio-described for the blind. Ms. Simran, the lead actor, along with music director Sean Roldan, joined the audience and enjoyed watching the film alongside members of the blind community.
Ahaan, a pathbreaking film featuring a lead actor with Down syndrome, was screened in the presence of the film’s director, Nikhil Pherwani.
The festival concluded with the screening of the Hindi blockbuster film Sitaare Zameen Par (audio-described), in the presence of the film's director R.S. Prasanna, writer Divya Nidhi Sharma, co-producer Aparna Purohit, and the stars of the film’s basketball team.
