The highly anticipated WAVES Awards of Excellence, an initiative hosted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with ASIFA India, is now open for submissions. The competition celebrates groundbreaking achievements in the fields of Animation, Visual Effects (VFX), and Extended Reality (XR) as part of the Create in India Challenge. The competition aims to showcase India’s creative prowess on the global stage and promote the country’s leadership in the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) sector.
Aspiring creators and professionals can showcase their work in two categories, that is Student Showreels and Professional Ad Films. The Student Showreels category has no time restriction, while the Professional Ad Films category is limited to a maximum of 60 seconds.
The themes for this year’s submissions are deeply rooted in India’s socio-cultural landscape and include topics such as Mythology & Folklore in a Modern Context, Sustainability & Climate Change Awareness, Wellness & Yoga, Artificial Intelligence & The Future of Storytelling, India’s Untold Stories through Animation & VFX, Gaming for Social Impact, Virtual Production & XR Innovations, Animating Rituals and Mythological Lores, Women’s Safety and Eve Teasing, Advertising World & its Changing Dimensions.
ASIFA India has already received 1238 submissions, with 75% from students and 25% from professionals. Of these, 35% are from women creators, and 50% come from emerging creators, underscoring the competition’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and fostering fresh perspectives within the AVGC industry.
Additionally, 52 institutions from around the world have participated, including leading global educational institutions such as BAU Centro Universitario de Artes y Diseño de Barcelona, Bass School of Arts at UTD, Tehran University of Art, and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, alongside prestigious Indian institutions like NID, IITs, SRFTI, Symbiosis, and Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art.
Notedly, participants have until February 15 to submit their entries and be part of this prestigious competition that continues to celebrate and shape the future of the AVGC sector globally.