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CineKind: New platform to honour films urging kindness towards animals
This pioneering collaboration aims to mainstream compassion and empathy in cinematic storytelling, honouring films and individuals whose work inspires positive social change for animals.
New Delhi: The Film Federation of India (FFI) and People for Animals (PFA) launched CineKind on Thursday, a dedicated platform celebrating kindness in cinema in general, with a focus on compassion towards animals.
This pioneering collaboration aims to mainstream compassion and empathy in cinematic storytelling, honoring films and individuals whose work inspires positive social change for animals.
“Each year on October 4, which is World Animal Day, CineKind will host a glittering celebration of cinema and compassion, bringing together actors, filmmakers, and advocates of animal welfare to honour stories that inspire a kinder world and positive change,” said politician and animal welfare activist, Maneka Gandhi, who is also the founder of PFA.
The first awards this year will be held in Kolkata on December 20, 2025, marking a significant new tradition in ethical storytelling.
Several categories of awards have been introduced, including CineKind Compassion Award, Director of Change Award, Actor for Kindness Award, Visual Storyteller for Animals Award, among others. For this year’s awards, some notable winners include Mohit Chauhan in the category of ‘The Humane Influence’ award; and Fish Eye Network (production company by Pooja Bhatt) for ‘Innovation for Compassion’ award.
Gandhi added, “This is a first of its kind in the world and it will be the biggest platform to bring kindness towards animals into the public sphere in the most eloquent way possible.”
At Thursday’s launch event, FFI President Firdausul Hasan and PFA Chairperson Maneka Sanjay Gandhi unveiled the awards and vision, emphasizing cinema’s power to shape culture and nurture compassion.
“CineKind also hopes to establish an annual national platform that celebrates compassionate and ethical cinema, by promoting cruelty-free, sustainable, and humane filmmaking practices across the industry. the platform also wants to partner with festivals, OTT platforms, and media houses to amplify empathy-driven storytelling,” said a member associated with the launch.
