Cininfo Screenwriters Lab 2025

Take the Leap into Your Cinematic Journey

A fully-funded, exclusive opportunity for aspiring screenwriters to get hands-on mentorship, refine their craft, and see their script produced.

Cininfo Screenwriters Lab 2025

Take the Leap into Your Cinematic Journey

A fully-funded, exclusive opportunity for aspiring screenwriters to get hands-on mentorship, refine their craft, and see their script produced.

Welcome to the Cininfo Screenwriters Lab 2025, in collaboration with Sumitra Gupta Foundation for the Arts (SGFA) is a unique, fully-funded residency created for early- to mid-career screenwriters with 2–3 years of professional experience. Here, you’ll embark on a 12‑week online journey where industry leading mentors guide you through refining your screenplay, uncovering storytelling secrets, and developing the skills needed for a breakthrough in the film world.

Why you should apply?

Fully-Funded Program: No participation fees; every aspect of your training is supported at no cost.
Exclusive Mentorship: Receive one-on-one guidance from acclaimed filmmakers and award-winning screenwriters, ensuring you gain practical insights into your craft.
Production Opportunity: Among the 12 selected participants, 4 outstanding scripts will be chosen for production, an initiative sponsored by SGFA.
Robust Network: Join a vibrant community of like-minded professionals, opening doors for future collaborations and opportunities.
Career Advancement: Gain industry-ready skills and an impressive portfolio boost that will elevate your screenwriting career.

Eligibility & Application Process

This opportunity is open to writers, directors, and screenwriters dedicated to crafting compelling screen narratives. To apply, please ensure you submit the following:

Eligibility Requirements

A short film concept note based on the provided storyline and a Logline
A synopsis that adheres to our specified word and character count guidelines
2 Sample scenes with dialogues
Preferred: 2–3 years of professional screenwriting experience along with relevant work samples or links.
Active registration as a Cininfo Community member
Terms & Conditions for the program

How to Apply?

1. Join or Log In:
Visit Cininfo.in to log in if you’re already a member, or register to join the Cininfo Community.

2. Prepare Your Submission:
Use the given storyline to write your synopsis and approach note, following the designated word count and style guidelines

3. Submit Your Application:
Complete and submit the application form, including your details, synopsis, and approach note, before the deadline.

4. Confirmation:
Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from Cininfo confirming receipt of your application.

Final Applicants will be intimated by Cininfo by the 1^st week of June 2025

Important Dates:

Application Start Date: April 28, 2025
Application Deadline: May 30, 2025

Meet our Esteemed Mentors :

Sudhir Mishra is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has been working in the Hindi film industry for over 30 years. He is known for his gritty and realistic films that often deal with social and political issues. Some of his most acclaimed films include Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Dharavi (1992), Chameli (2003), Serious Men (2020) and Afwaah (2023). Mr. Mishra has won numerous awards for his work, including National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award. He is considered one of the most valuable and influential directors working in India today.

Shonali Bose, born in Kolkata, holds an MA from Columbia University and an MFA from UCLA Film School. Her debut feature premiered at Berlinale and TIFF, released in India, Canada, and the US, and won two National Awards and the FIPRESCI Critics Award. Margarita with a Straw, co-created with Nilesh Maniyar, won 50 awards at 100+ festivals, including TIFF’s NETPAC Jury Award. The Sky is Pink was TIFF 2019’s only Asian Gala film. She directed RaatRani for Modern Love Mumbai and leads the Amazon series Ziddi Girls. Her documentary A Fly on the Wall premiered at Busan and is currently on the festival circuit. She’s now prepping a comedy feature, a Netflix series, and an indie film—while splitting time between LA and Mumbai, and being a proud mom to Ishan and Vivan.

Vijay Krishna Acharya, fondly known as Victor, is a visionary writer-director and the creative force behind some of Indian cinema’s most iconic stories. Renowned for directing and writing the blockbuster Dhoom franchise, his long-standing collaboration with Yash Raj Films also includes Tashan, Dhoom 3, Thugs of Hindostan, and the heartfelt drama The Great Indian Family. As a writer, his versatility is evident in acclaimed films like Guru and Raavan with Mani Ratnam. Before entering films, Vijay was a celebrated name in television with hits like Just Mohabbat, Son Pari, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, and Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin. Currently scripting his next directorial with YRF, he also serves as a creative producer and mentor, nurturing the next wave of bold, genre-defying storytellers.

Richa Chadha is an Indian actress (Gangs of Wasseypur 2012 – Cannes Quinzaine, Masaan 2015 Cannes Un Certain Regard, Madam Chief Minister 2021, Fukr3y 2023) of repute. She is also the recipient of the Chevalier Des Arts et des Lettres 2023 from the French Government. She produces under the banner of Pushing Buttons Studios, which she co-owns with her partner actor Ali Fazal. Girls Will Be Girls is her first feature as a Producer, and it premiered at Sundance in 2024, winning the Audience Award in the World Dramatic Category.

Program Coach : Abhinandan Gupta

Abhinandan Gupta is an Indian filmmaker and writer known for his work as Associate Director on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018). He was the head writer on the historical drama series Freedom at Midnight (2024), which explores India’s partition. His storytelling emphasizes human experiences and character dynamics.

Program Advisor : Nikkhil Advani

Nikkhil Advani is a National Award-winning filmmaker from India. He is a director, producer, screenwriter, and co-founder of Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures, based in Mumbai. Advani’s feature films as a director include the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho, Chandni Chowk to China, Salaam-e-Ishq, Patiala House, Batla House, D-Day, Vedaa, and Delhi Safari, among others. More recently, Advani has been creating extensively for digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and SonyLiv. His work includes award-winning shows like Mumbai Diaries and Rocket Boys, and most recently, a web series based on Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s bestseller Freedom at Midnight. Advani also serves on the boards of non-profit organizations like the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Art and Culture, Bittu Sahgal’s Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Women in Film – India, and the Smita Gupta Foundation for the Arts (SGFA) — a foundation that supports creative and artistic projects across disciplines.

Program Coordinator : Maitha Alawadi

Maitha Alawadi is an internationally acclaimed Emirati film director, scriptwriter, and TV presenter with 10+ years of experience across the UAE, Australia, India, and the UK. A Master’s graduate in Filmmaking from the University of Sussex, she has won 13+ awards at over 40 global film festivals. Her directorial debut Al Eid Eiden was released in GCC cinemas, while her award-winning script Nour is in development. Her short films X and Charlie received international recognition, and she created the UAE Golden Jubilee film under Image Nation’s Creative Lab. Maitha has contributed to 20+ short fiction films in multiple roles and directed client work ranging from mini-docs to branded content. A TEDx speaker and workshop leader, she has participated in global labs like Film Independent’s AFS and DFTC’s Ticket to Bollywood, while also co-presenting on Dubai One TV. Passionate about cultural authenticity, she champions diverse storytelling in Arab cinema.

Program Partner:

Aangan Trust is a nonprofit working to protect vulnerable children in India from trafficking, child marriage, abuse, and exploitation. They empower communities, especially women, to build safety networks for at-risk children.

In 2025, Aangan is proud to support the Cininfo Screenwriters Lab—an initiative to mentor and guide aspiring writers and filmmakers in their journey to create powerful, socially impactful stories.