PRESENTS
Make your short film. Build your audience.
Get your next film funded.
₹10,45,000+*
*Includes Production Grants worth ₹7,50,000+
COMPETITION TIMELINE
Track every milestone from registration to the grand results announcement.
Registration
Open
Webinars
9 May & 19 May
Deadline
31st May
Viewing Period
5 June – 15 July
Results Announced
End of July 2026
TALENT PARTNERS
TBSC Season 6 is the most ambitious edition of ABC Talkies’ flagship short film initiative. Since 2022, The Big Short Challenge has grown into a powerful platform that not only showcases films but releases them to real audiences.
This year, it expands further—uniting Tamil Nadu and Kerala for the first time, with a larger audience, bigger prizes, production grants, and stronger industry integration.
Your film doesn’t just get screened. It gets released, discovered, and tested in the market.
This is where storytelling meets validation.
TBSC Season 6 is not just about winning an award. It is about building momentum, gaining visibility, and taking the next step as a filmmaker.
- Expanded visibility through potential broadcast partnerships
- A larger, more prominent awards platform
- Mentorship from an established industry filmmaker
- Opportunities for winners to get funded and create their next short film
- Released to real, paying audiences
- Measured through actual viewership and engagement
- Evaluated for both creative strength and audience traction
PREVIOUS EDITION
5 EDITION 4 REGIONS ONE MISSION
Launch edition
The beginning of TBSC as an audience-first discovery platform.
North-East India focus
Expanded across regions, with strong participation from the North East.
Kerala Edition
250+ registrations
Tamil Edition
300+ registrations
Malayalam Edition
450+ registrations. Winning filmmaker’s next film produced and showcased exclusively on ABC Talkies.
WHY PARTICIPATE
For Film Makers
- Release your film on a structured OTT platform
- Build measurable audience traction
- Understand distribution and performance data
- Win funding for your next project
- Gain recognition backed by real-world metrics
For Film Schools
- Showcase student work beyond campus screenings
- Bridge education and distribution
- Compete as an institution
For Film Communities
- Participate collectively
- Compete as a creative ecosystem
- Build recognition and visibility
Every participant receives:
- A Digital Participation Certificate
- Access to Filmmaker Dashboard & Tools
AWARDS
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER – TAMIL
₹1,25,000 Production Grant
+ ₹25,000 CashMOST PROMISING FILMMAKER – MALAYALAM
₹1,25,000 Production Grant
+ ₹25,000 Cash1ST RUNNER UP – TAMIL
₹1,00,000 Production Grant
+ ₹20,000 Cash1ST RUNNER UP – MALAYALAM
₹1,00,000 Production Grant
+ ₹20,000 Cash2ND RUNNER UP
₹75,000 Production Grant
+ ₹15,000 Cash2ND RUNNER UP
₹75,000 Production Grant
+ ₹15,000 CashBEST AI FILM
₹75,000 Production Grant
+ ₹25,000 CashBEST SHOT ON MOBILE
₹75,000 Production Grant
+ ₹25,000 CashELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Language:
Tamil or Malayalam Short Films
Production date:
Short films produced after 01 January 2024
Duration:
5-40 minutes
Exclusivity:
Short films must not be available on YouTube or any other OTT
platform during the contest period
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
A Creator-First Process
TBSC Season 6 is structured to simulate a real-world release
journey
- 1 Contest Registration Guide
- 2 Profile Completion & Payment Setup
- 3 Film Upload Process
- 4 Setting Your Film Pricing
- 5 Navigating Your Dashboard
Create a filmmaker account by Signing Up
on abcfilmfactory.com
HOW WINNERS ARE DECIDED
If no one’s watching, it’s not winning.
Films are evaluated based on:
40%
COMMITTEE
15%
EFFORT
25%
& VIEWERSHIP
20%
Creative merit matters. Audience connection matters.
TBSC rewards films that demonstrate both craft and
resonance.
Audience interest plays a central role in how films perform
on the platform, while industry
expertise contributes to overall recognition.
FAQs
