ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
Saveetha School of Law (SSL), Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), was established in 2009 with the aim of providing quality legal education and maintaining high standards of legal research and training. The institution focuses on nurturing the intellectual abilities, leadership qualities, and personal development of young legal minds. SSL is recognized by the Bar Council of India and approved by the UGC, and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. programmes in law.
ABOUT CINE LEX CRITICA
The Third Edition of Cine Lex Critica – Season III is a unique legal reviewing competition, inviting law students to examine cinema through the lens of law. The competition seeks to combine the creative discipline of film criticism with legal interpretation, analysis, and argumentation.
Participants can examine the portrayal and application of legal principles in films and web series and connect the storyline with relevant domestic legislation, international law, and principles of Jus Cogens. Their reviews should be supported by relevant statutes, sections, landmark judgments, and case laws. The competition also encourages students to develop creative and original legal arguments through movie review while exploring the relationship between law, society, and popular cinema.
COMPETITION FORMAT
The competition consists of three stages:
| ROUND | TEAMS / FORMAT | KEY REQUIREMENT |
|---|---|---|
| PRELIMINARY ROUND | All participating teams | 10–12 minute legal review using PPT |
| SEMI-FINALS | Top 8 teams | 5-minute preparation + 5-minute legal review of an assigned movie clip |
| FINALE | Top 3 teams | Buzzer round |
PRELIMINARY ROUND
Each team will be allotted 10–12 minutes, depending upon the schedule, to present a legal review of one movie from the prescribed list.
PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS
| REQUIREMENT | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Presentation Time | 10–12 minutes |
| Presentation Medium | PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) |
| Time Division | May be divided among the three members at the team’s discretion |
| PPT Weightage | PPT carries marks in the Preliminary Round |
| PPT Format | No prescribed format, provided it is self-explanatory and aligned with the competition objectives |
| Submission Deadline | 12 September 2026 |
| Submission Email | cinelexcritica2026.ssl@gmail.com |
| Focus | Review must strictly remain within the legal perspective of the chosen movie |
PRESCRIBED MOVIES
| LANGUAGE | MOVIE |
|---|---|
| Tamil | Por Thozhil |
| Hindi | Thappad |
| Telugu | State vs A Nobody |
| Tamil | Maharaja |
| Hindi | Article 15 |
| Malayalam | Neru |
| Tamil | Visaranai |
| Hindi | Haq |
| Malayalam | Operation Java |
PRELIMINARY ROUND – SCORING CRITERIA
| S. NO. | CRITERIA | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding of Movie | 20 |
| 2 | Understanding Legal Provisions and Principles | 20 |
| 3 | Ability to Connect Law and Movie | 30 |
| 4 | Usage of PPT Presentation | 10 |
| 5 | Clarity and Flow in Presentation | 10 |
| 6 | Ability to Answer Questions | 10 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
SEMI FINALS
The Top 8 teams from the Preliminary Round will qualify for the Semi-Finals. Each team will receive a separate and different video clip from a movie, with a maximum duration of 5 minutes.
SEMI FINALS– SCORING CRITERIA
| Sl. NO. | CRITERIA | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding of Movie Clip | 20 |
| 2 | Understanding Legal Provisions and Principles | 20 |
| 3 | Ability to Connect Law and Movie | 30 |
| 4 | Clarity and Flow in Presentation | 20 |
| 5 | Ability to Answer Questions | 10 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
FINALE
The Top 3 teams from the Semi-Finals will advance to the Finals. The Final Round will be conducted as a buzzer round. The rules and details of the round will be disclosed on the day of the event. The questions will relate to the objectives of the competition.
The team securing the highest score will be announced as the winner of “CINE LEX CRITICA 2026 – Season III”.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
| PARTICULARS | INSTRUCTION |
|---|---|
| Team Identity | Teams will be provided with Team Codes upon confirmation of Provisional Registration. |
| College Identity | Teams must not disclose the identity of their college to participating teams or judges, except to the Organising Committee upon demand. |
| ID Card | Participants must carry and present their College Identity Card during registration. |
| Legal Focus | The primary focus throughout the competition must remain the legal perspective of the film. |
| Medium | The competition shall be conducted in English only. |
| Films / Clips | Movies and clips may be in any Indian language, supported by English subtitles. |
| Conduct | Defamatory, obscene, indecent or scandalous language, review or criticism is strictly prohibited. |
| Criticism | Fair, reasonable and constructive review and criticism is encouraged. |
HOW TO REGISTER
Interested candidates can register online via the link given at the end of the post.
| PARTICULARS | DETAILS |
| Fee | ₹300 per team |
| Payment | Registration is complete only upon successful payment |
| Final Requirement | Submission of the Final Registration Form |
| Refund Policy | Non-refundable under any circumstances |
Registration Form: Available through the registration link provided by the Organising Committee.
IMPORTANT DATES
| DATE | EVENT |
|---|---|
| 15 June 2026 | Release of Brochure |
| 5 September 2026 | Last Date for Registration |
| 12 September 2026 | Submission of PPT Presentation |
| 15–16 September 2026 | Cine Lex Critica 2026 – Season III |
ACCOLADES
| POSITION | RECOGNITION |
| 🏆 Winner | Cash Prize + Trophy + Certificate |
| 🥈 Runner-Up | Cash Prize + Trophy + Certificate |
| 📜 All Participants | Certificate |
CONTACT INFORMATION
For any queries regarding the competition, please contact:
Deva Shakthi Raj: +91 6379310119
Akshitha: +91 7871234519
Shaan D Jain: +91 7603883706
Thirumeninathan: +91 9360025740
Email: cinelexcritica2026.ssl@gmail.com
For more updates, join our Whatsapp group : https://chat.whatsapp.com/GkG6DEgbQB6JPHYJUkyi2G?s=sh&p=a&ilr=1&amv=2
