Apple has highlighted comments from award-winning filmmakers pointing to the benefits of shooting on iPhone – from speed and flexibility, to the sheer accessibility of the device.
One of them says the ability of anyone with an iPhone to create a credible short film means that we’re now “living in the age of democracy in filmmaking” …
Two filmmakers who participated in a Filmed on iPhone program set up in India last year went on to win awards for their creations, says Apple.
Now in its second year, the program empowers Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image alumni to push the boundaries of technology and innovation, shooting their projects on iPhone 16 Pro Max and editing them on MacBook Pro with M4 Max.
Two of last year’s participating films recently won 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards India for Best Short Film, Best Director (Short Film), and Best Writing (Short Film).
The program gave them access to guidance from established TV and movie professionals, among them Vetri Maaran.
“Shooting on iPhone allows for complete personal expression,” says Maaran, writer-director of the upcoming Tamil action thriller Vaadivaasal. He believes he is learning as much from his mentees as he is teaching them. “We’re living in the age of democracy in filmmaking.”
Another said that a key benefit to shooting on iPhone is speed and ease, compared to using traditional equipment.
“Shooting and editing within the Apple family of products gives you a stellar advantage: speed,” says writer-director Vikramaditya Motwane, whose work in film and television includes Udaan and Black Warrant.
That lightning-fast performance of MacBook Pro alongside the ease of use of iPhone 16 Pro Max is giving these artists even more creative control on and off set.
Cinematographer Rohin Raveendran, with two Netflix shows under his belt, also points to the small form factor enabling creative possibilities that simply wouldn’t be possible with larger kit.
The prospect of shooting on iPhone 16 Pro Max was instrumental in Nair’s choice of narrative. “Using iPhone’s small form factor, I could place the camera inside the typewriter and capture its POV,” he says. “This, along with practical effects with fish wires, helps bring the device to life.”
Multiple lenses, Cinematic mode, Action mode, and 4K 120fps slo-mo features were all cited by filmmakers as benefits of the iPhone as a shooting platform.
You can watch six of the films created through the program in the film festival’s Filmed on iPhone playlist.
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