About the Event
In an era where global events unfold instantly across our screens, conflict is often consumed as headlines, statistics, and breaking news flashes. Yet behind every report are deeply personal stories that rarely receive attention - lives interrupted without warning, relationships fractured by distance, routines erased overnight, and futures permanently altered.
The Multimedia Contest 2026 invites young filmmakers to look beyond the headlines and uncover the human experiences that are often left unseen. This year's theme, Between the Headlines / Stories Left Behind, challenges participants to explore the quiet and often overlooked realities of war and conflict. A child forced to leave home, a family waiting for news, a community learning to live with uncertainty, or an ordinary moment carrying extraordinary loss - these are the stories that exist between the headlines but are seldom fully heard. Yet the impact of conflict rarely remains confined to borders or battlefields. Like a ripple, or a butterfly effect, war extends outward in unexpected ways, touching lives far removed from the centre of conflict. Economies shift, communities are displaced, anxieties grow, and futures are reshaped across countries and generations.
Through the lens of storytelling and cinema, this theme invites participants to uncover these micro-stories, both near and distant, and reveal how the true cost of conflict is often experienced in quiet, unseen, and deeply personal ways.
Let your film bring these forgotten stories into focus. Let it reveal the lives left behind between the headlines.
Regulations
The team must comprise of 4 members from Classes 9 to 12.
The duration of films must be a maximum of 8 minutes, excluding a one-minute optional live introduction or conclusion by the team members.
The films must have original content and should not be downloaded from the internet - such films will be disqualified. Not more than 1 minute of footage downloaded from the internet may be used.
It must contain all multimedia elements such as videos, visual effects, music, and images to put forward the team's perspective on the topic.
Teams need to upload their completed films in MP4 format by Sunday, 21st July 2026, 11:59 PM IST. The upload link will be shared after registration.
There will be no live speaking while the film is running (other than the optional introduction/conclusion). Commentary must be incorporated into the soundtrack of the film itself.
The contest will be held in two rounds. For the preliminary round, teams will be divided into 2–3 pools, with 3–4 teams advancing from each pool to the final.
Teams may be asked to undergo a technical interview after the preliminary round. The judge may question team members on tools and techniques used. Teams must clear this interview to qualify for the final round.
Films will be judged on storyline, use of multimedia, aesthetics, and creativity.
There will be a panel of three judges for the final round. Vasant Valley School reserves the right to appoint the judges and the decision of the judges will be final.