Film Screenings & Festivals in Chennai

Chennai is the capital of Tamil cinema, and film here is a public event: big releases at Deepavali and Pongal are greeted with first-day celebrations outside theatres, and premieres and audio launches are held at PVR Sathyam in Royapettah and the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. For world cinema, the Chennai International Film Festival, organised by the Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, is the main date. Its 23rd edition ran from 11 to 18 December 2025; dates for the 24th had not been announced as of October 2026, though it has been held in mid-December in recent years. Through the year, the Alliance Française and the Goethe-Institut screen French and German films with subtitles, often free, and film societies hold regular shows. IMAX screens are at Phoenix Marketcity and Nexus Vijaya Mall.