Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

In 2025, La Trobe University proudly celebrates 16 years of partnership with the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), the largest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

From 14 to 24 August, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 will showcase over 75 films in 31 languages, offering both in-cinema and online screenings to audiences across Australia.

Aamir Khan at IFFM 2025 as La Trobe Marks a Milestone Partnership

This year’s festival is especially significant, with Bollywood icon Aamir Khan attending as the official Chief Guest. Aamir will present a retrospective of his most influential works, culminating in a spotlight screening of his latest film Sitaare Zameen Par, which tells the heartfelt story of a basketball coach mentoring neurodivergent adults. The screening will be followed by a live conversation with Aamir, director RS Prasanna, and Aparna Purohit, CEO of Aamir Khan Films.

La Trobe’s enduring partnership with IFFM reflects our deep commitment to supporting the cultures and communities of our international students, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent. With over 11,000 graduates born in the region, La Trobe continues to be a vibrant hub for cultural exchange and academic excellence.

For more than 50 years, La Trobe has championed Indian studies and research, offering the only Hindi language course at a Victorian university and housing the largest collection of Indian literature in Australia.

Our students play a vital role in the success of IFFM. Each year, dozens of La Trobe students join the festival workforce, gaining hands-on experience in event management, media production, hospitality, and public relations. These roles offer invaluable career-building opportunities, allowing students to network with industry professionals, contribute to high-profile events, and develop skills that translate directly into future employment.

La Trobe is proud to support two recipients of the prestigious Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship, a transformative initiative designed to empower emerging female researchers from India. Each valued at over $225,000 AUD, the fully funded four-year scholarship enables recipients to pursue groundbreaking research with a focus on creating positive social change. These scholars exemplify a commitment to advancing knowledge and justice, reflecting the values shared by both La Trobe and Shah Rukh Khan.

As a founding partner, La Trobe is proud to help build cultural bridges through film, music, and dance. The IFFM continues to be a celebration of diversity, showcasing stories from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and offering Australians a unique opportunity to experience the richness of South Asian cinema.

Over the past decade, La Trobe has welcomed some of Indian cinema’s most celebrated figures to its campuses, including:

Watch films from the Indian Film Festival

The extended online season of the festival will continue throughout the year, allowing audiences to watch films for free from the festival’s website.

Explore all films