Chennai, July 2
Ability Foundation, the Chennai-based national cross-disability organisation, has officially announced the 9th edition of AbilityFEST 2025 – India International Disability Film Festival, set to take place from July 7 to 10 at PVR-INOX Sathyam Cinemas, Chennai.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, July 2, following the jury meeting of the “60 Seconds to Fame” – All India One-Minute Film Competition on Disability, whose shortlisted entries will be screened during the festival.
The press meet witnessed the participation of an eminent jury panel comprising Oscar-winning music composer A.R. Rahman, actor Simran, lyricist-screenwriter Madhan Karky, international para swimmer Mohammed Shams Aalam Shaikh, and fitness consultant and life coach Tinkesh.
Group Captain Vijayakumar, Executive Director of the Madras Management Association, which served as the process validator for the competition, also addressed the gathering.
Festival Director Jayshree Raveendran and Chairperson Revathy Asha Kelunni jointly introduced AbilityFEST 2025 as a festival that celebrates cinema by, with, and about people with disabilities.
Launched in 2005, AbilityFEST is the country’s pioneering film festival dedicated to disability inclusion, and it returns this year with a bold, diverse, and globally curated lineup.
All screenings during the four-day event are free of charge, with four shows daily. However, registration is mandatory via https://forms.gle/2fTfNm3LUrnSCAWa9, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reaffirming its long-standing commitment, Ability Foundation emphasized that people with disabilities must be seen and included everywhere — not on the margins, but equitably across every walk of life, be it education, employment, art, or culture.
The festival goes beyond showcasing films — it emphasizes accessibility through subtitling, audio description, and barrier-free venues, and encourages dialogue, awareness, and advocacy.
This year’s international selection includes acclaimed titles such as Upside Down (Italy), Ab, Bad, Khak, Nan and Abrash (Iran), Zomervacht (Netherlands), Ania z Piekielnika (Poland), Dancer (Mongolia), Working Differently (UK), and Luki and the Lights! (USA) — an animated feature. Also featured are Daruma, Thunder Roles! The World of Blind Baseball, and other compelling stories from around the world.
A significant highlight of this edition is the first public screening with audio description for the visually impaired of the 2025 Tamil blockbuster Tourist Family.
The film’s team will attend the screening to share their perspectives on accessibility and inclusion.
Another major attraction is the Hindi film Ahaan (2019), India’s first feature to cast a lead actor with Down syndrome.
Audiences will also have the opportunity to interact with the film’s director Nikhil Pherwani.
The festival will conclude with a special screening of ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ followed by a live discussion with director R.S. Prasanna and writer Divy Nidhi Sharma, offering an exclusive insight into one of the most talked-about films of the year.
AbilityFEST 2025 is more than a celebration of cinema. It is a call to inclusion, understanding, and the belief that disability is not a separate world — it’s an integral part of the human experience.
