Meta: Introducing the Edits Film Festival to Spotlight India’s Emerging Creator Talent

By Editorial Last updated Aug 28, 2026

Meta is announcing the first-ever edition of the Edits Film Festival, a new initiative celebrating India’s emerging creator talent and their ability to transform everyday, unpolished footage into cinematic Reels using Edits. Over the next 45 days, creators across India can submit original Reels made entirely on Edits, with the top 10–20 entries set to be screened at an exclusive festival and select creators recognized by a jury featuring Ahsaas Channa, Dolly Singh, Nikhil Taneja and Rajeev Masand.

Creators can use Edits’ creative tools, including filters, effects, fonts, audio effects, overlays and music, to transform ordinary moments into distinctive visual stories.

Takeaways

The Edits Film Festival is a first-of-its kind celebration that challenges creators to transform their everyday, unpolished footage into short, cinematic Reels using Edits.
A selection of the top 10–20 cinematic reels, made on Edits, will be screened at an exclusive Edits Film Festival organized by us.
We have an incredibly talented and experienced group of people who will be selecting the reels – Ahsaas Channa, Dolly Singh, Nikhil Taneja and Rajeev Masand.

Today, we announce the launch of the Edits Film Festival — an initiative that invites content creators across India to showcase their creativity through Reels made on Edits, while spotlighting the many new features the app has introduced this year.

The Edits Film Festival is a first-of-its-kind celebration that challenges creators to transform their everyday, unpolished footage into short, cinematic Reels using Edits, Instagram’s standalone video creation app. Whether it’s an accidental clip, a throwaway shot, or a moment you never thought was worth sharing — this is your chance to turn it into something extraordinary. Over the next 45 days, creators can submit original Reels made entirely on Edits, with a jury of leading creators, actors, and film voices selecting the most distinctive entries.

“India’s creator community is redefining storytelling every day, and the Edits Film Festival is our way of celebrating that spirit. We want to empower creators to see the cinematic potential in their everyday moments and use Edits as their creative studio to bring those stories to life. This festival is a stage for fresh voices and bold ideas — all made on Edits.” — Ankit Rihal, Head of Global Partnerships, Meta, India

“There’s always something new trending on Instagram, and more often than not, it’s a Gen Z creator or editor behind it. We’re constantly inspired by their creativity and honest storytelling, so I’m glad to be a juror for the Edits Film Festival and help more of this talent get discovered.” — Nikhil Taneja, Founder of Yuvaa, a youth media company and a jury member for the festival.

Submission Guidelines

Create and publish a Reel using Edits, where you’ve transformed ordinary videos or unremarkable content into something visually striking — using filters, effects, fonts, audio effects, overlay, and music available on the app.
Content must be original and freshly created within a submission window of 45 days — starting today to October 8th.
Tag and caption your post: The caption should describe the content, including the specific features within the Edits app that were used. The hashtag #EditsFilmFestival must be included, along with tagging @metaindia and @weareyuvaa.

Selection and Screening

A selection of the top 10–20 cinematic reels, made on Edits, will be screened at an exclusive Edits Film Festival organized by us. A few of the makers of these reels will also be recognized by an esteemed jury and showcased on @metaindia’s social media accounts. These makers will also get exclusive access to a few upcoming features on the Edits app!

The Jury

We have an incredibly talented and experienced group of people who will be selecting the reels that make it to the Edits Film Festival.

Ahsaas Channa – A talented actor widely recognised for her roles in popular web series and films.
Dolly Singh – One of India’s most beloved content creators, and the only India-based creator to win the Instagram Rings Award in 2025.
Nikhil Taneja – A multi-award-winning writer, producer, podcaster, and mental health and gender equality advocate who co-founded Yuvaa, India’s first Gen Z-driven media organisation focused on youth impact.
Rajeev Masand – COO of Dharma Cornerstone Agency and one of India’s most highly followed film critics and media personalities.

The jury will evaluate submissions based on three things — how unique the story is, their ability to turn ordinary, unpolished footage into something extraordinary, and how creatively Edits features have been used to bring it to life.

We can’t wait to see all the creativity and editing skills on display — and to celebrate them.