IFFI 2023: Entries open for inaugural best web series (OTT) award

Applications are open for the maiden edition of the best web series (OTT) award at the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The winner will be announced and honoured at the film gala, to be held in Goa from November 20 to November 28.

The best web series award is aimed at acknowledging, encouraging and honouring the flourishing OTT content and its creators, the release stated.

"It seeks to foster growth and innovation in the Indian OTT industry by encouraging and celebrating web series content produced for and screened on digital platforms. 

"The award also aims to encourage OTT content in Indian languages by promoting regional diversity and creativity in the web content industry, including content produced in regional languages," it said.

The award will recognise and reward exceptional talent that has realised its potential due to the opportunities provided by the OTT space in India.

"In keeping with India's growing creative economy, the award will also aim to incentivise and create investment opportunities in India's OTT sector by providing avenues to content creators and OTT platforms to showcase their work, exchange knowledge, and foster international relationships through the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)," the release added.

The winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, which will be shared equally among the director(s), creator(s) and producer(s) / production house(s) / OTT platform (in case of an original production or co-production).

The best web series award will be given to an original web series on an OTT platform, originally shot and available in an Indian language.

"It has to be an original piece of work commissioned, produced, co-produced, licensed, or acquired with the purpose of releasing only on the OTT Platform. All episodes of the entry (web series/season) should have been released on an OTT platform between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022.

"Further, the web series/season under application must have a total runtime of at least 180 minutes, have a minimum of three (3) episodes, have each episode of duration 25 minutes or more and be tied together under the same title or trade name," read the eligibility criteria for the recognition.

According to the release, applicants should submit the entry through the prescribed online entry form, which is available at the award website: https://bestwebseriesaward.com/.

The entries can be submitted online till 6 pm on August 25. In addition to the online submission, the stamped and signed hard copy of the submitted online application, along with its adjoining material, must be received by August 31.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur announced the addition of the new category to IFFI last month.