The new year has begun with a cinematic start. Coming to India’s very own film city, Mumbai, is New York’s largest film festival dedicated to the creative spaces of architecture and design. Stretched across a timeline of three days, from January 9 to January 11 2026, The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) showcases distinctive perspectives behind the world’s unique creative processes. It is a celebration that transforms worlds of architecture, art, design, and cinema together. While there may not be drama or masala you’d otherwise hope for, ADFF brings in curated films on architectural creations, product design, urban design, historic preservation, environmental issues, and much more. So, if you find yourself scanning through visually pleasing docu-movies and series on Netflix, this is definitely for you.
Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF: STIR)
The second edition of ADFF: STIR returns to the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in January 2026. This year, it welcomes over 15,000 architects, designers, artists, students, and cultural leaders from around the world through immersive experiences. The 3-day event is spread across the NCPA campus with screenings simultaneously taking place in Tata Theatre, Experimental Theatre, Godrej Dance Theatre, Little Theatre, and Jaguar Pavilion Park.
What To Expect
The schedule of the event includes a 25+ award-winning film lineup, design workshops, monologues and discussion panels by studios breaking barriers. Some of our favourite awe-inspiring films include Pina (3D), Dior And I, Anselm, The Space Architect, Bawa’s Garden. and Unfinished Spaces.
To give you an idea, Pina, a film by Wim Wenders, takes the audience through a visually striking journey into the world of choreographer Pina Bausch and Tanztheatre Wuppertal. It follows dancers into the streets, landscapes, and everyday spaces of Wuppertal, the city that shaped Bausch’s artistic vision. Alternatively, ‘Dior and I’ offer an intimate behind-the-scenes look at Raf Simons’ 2012 haute couture debut for Christian Dior. Whereas ‘Bawa’s Garden’ is a serene road movie following the work of legendary Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa. Each film hides a story of the artist’s life, their inspirations, the urban development, the history of spaces, and the environment that continues to influence their creativity.
Moreover, you can also take part in multiple workshops hosted by world-class professionals. If you are going with your children, there is a Children’s Timber Workshop. Or, if you are eager to take a look at your own, check out the lectures and workshops on ‘Unhinged Mumbai’.
Nevertheless, the underdog of the festival is The Pavilion Park that invites selected professionals with an architecture, design, and art background. These professionals are provided with a curatorial brief to design a spatial installation. Going through the exclusive works of ten of the world’s best, you become the audience, the protagonist, and the actors. Moreover, the Pavilion Park goes beyond sustainability; here, forms become conversations for cultural exchange. All pavilions are designed for relocation, following the framework of recycle, repurpose, renovate, donate, and acquire.
Each of the films is 90-100 minutes long. As for the tickets, you can either buy day-specific tickets or a full festival pass that allows you to see the films, attend workshops, and stay back for the pavilions reveal. As is the norm in any festival, there will be a festival shop, book stalls, exhibitions, bar kiosks, and culinary experiences.
Key Information
đź“… January 9 to January 11, 2026
⏰11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
đź“ŤNational Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point
🎟️₹ 500/- onwards
Get your tickets here.