Kolkata, September 15, 2026: The inaugural season of the Paramount International Film Awards came to life in Kolkata with a special live screening event held on September 13 at Avenue Hotels, Kolkata.
Organized as part of the festival’s inaugural season, the evening brought together filmmakers, film enthusiasts, guests and members of the creative community for an intimate celebration of cinema and storytelling. The event was held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and featured live screenings of selected films, creating an opportunity for audiences to experience independent cinema together in a dedicated screening environment.
The venue was transformed into a festival setting with a large projection screen, branded displays and a dedicated audience area. The atmosphere reflected the spirit of the festival—bringing filmmakers and audiences together through stories that cross geographical and cultural boundaries.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of festival recognition to participating filmmakers, adding a celebratory dimension to the screening. The gathering also provided an informal space for filmmakers and attendees to connect, exchange perspectives and celebrate the creative work showcased during the season.
The Paramount International Film Awards is an international film festival focused on recognizing storytelling, artistic excellence and filmmakers with distinctive creative voices. According to the festival, its vision is to provide a platform where emerging and established filmmakers can gain recognition while connecting with a wider global filmmaking community.
The inaugural edition saw 58 recognitions awarded across 28 distinct projects from 12 different countries, highlighting a diverse selection of filmmakers and cinematic voices.
The recognized works included:
The Last Bloom — Sanelle Sibanda — Zimbabwe
The Crew — Marc Wilder
Sacrifices — Ed Vela — United States
The Mortality Game — Ed Vela — United States
Wet Boys — Ed Vela — United States
Terminatrice — Hanane Habib — France
The Way Back — Jianyu CAI — China
The Last Tear of Man — J. H. Allely — Spain
Download My Heart In The Metaverse — Mo Rebec — United States
Dynamics — Teo Baehler — Netherlands
Béatrice, the Lady — Paula McCool — United Kingdom
The List — Nicola Bedont — Italy
Where the Light Ends — Roberto Loiacono — Italy
Mutation — Carlo Ayhllón — Mexico
Nado — Daniele Farina — Italy
Flow — Shoko Tamai — United States
Chain — LING HAN — United States
Afterglow — Hoi Ting Choy — Hong Kong
The Novice of Sitges — Will Bashor — Spain
Assassin the Series — Brian Jackson — United States
Pantheon — Tayfun Uçar, Deniz Uçar & Güneş Çavuş — Türkiye
Download My Heart In Glastonbury — Robodrone Production — United States
London Fashion Walkabout — Robodrone Production — United States
Download My Heart In New York — Mo Rebec — United States
Carnations vs Roses — Alexandr Levin — United States
Anaconda vs. Python: The Florida Invasion — Allen Nijee Javide Lewis
The Awakening — Allen Nijee Javide Lewis
The Kolkata event marks an important milestone for the festival as it begins its journey with a focus on independent cinema, diverse voices and meaningful audience engagement.
With its inaugural season now underway, Paramount International Film Awards aims to bring compelling stories into the spotlight, celebrate the people behind them, and create spaces where cinema can be experienced not just as a finished work, but as a shared cultural experience.
