Open to all students · Class 8 to PG (online)
Short Film
A short-film competition on mental well-being — part of the Mental Health Awareness Campaign 2026.
Open to any student from Classes 8 to PG studying at a school or college in Kollam or Thiruvananthapuram. Individuals or groups may enter, with no limit on entries per institute.
Open to ALL students — Class 8 to PG — in every school and college in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
ICMR Student Wellbeing Project — Kerala site · Thiruvananthapuram & Kollam districts
Official campaign material
Short Film poster
Theme
- Finding Strength Within and Around Us
- Friendship and Emotional Wellbeing
- Connection, Belonging and Support
- Resilience in the Face of Adversity
- The Power of Peer Support
Deadline
What to make
- A short film with a clear mental-health message. Fiction, drama, animation or documentary — the choice is yours.
- Format: up to 5 minutes; new work made specifically for this competition.
How it works
- Make your film on your own or as a group.
- Register and upload your film on the campaign website by the closing date. Multiple entries are allowed.
Good to know
- Maximum 5 minutes.
- Content must promote help-seeking and positive mental wellbeing.
- Submit with your Institute ID Card.
- New work made for this competition only — no re-submissions.
- Respect copyright and get any needed permissions.
- Not published on any public platform before.
- Selected films may be used as campaign resources, including screenings at awareness programmes and use as educational or self-help material.
- Selection: entries are judged separately for School and College; selected films may be showcased.
Prizes
Prizes are awarded per competition and per category, with School and College judged separately.
- School
[School category cash prize amounts — by position — to be filled]
- College
[College category cash prize amounts — by position — to be filled]
Exciting prizes await — cash awards, certificates & mementoes for the winners. Prizes are presented at the Grand Final & Award Ceremony on 16 October 2026. See the awards page.
How to enter
Register and submit online by 9 October 2026. The entry form link will appear here when supplied by the campaign team.
Participants confirm that their entry is their own original work and agree to the campaign using it for non-commercial awareness purposes. Participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian complete the consent section of the form. We collect only the details needed to run the competition and contact winners.