A cusp is the charged moment just before movement, when intent gathers weight & direction is inevitable. It is the state of becoming, positioned between accumulation and release. As the year draws to a close, STIR finds itself precisely there. What unfolded over the past twelve months was not episodic, but cumulative. Each published story, every dialogue initiated, every sustained inquiry into architecture, design, art and culture has contributed to a measured, deliberate pace: one that finds a clear expression in the second edition of the Architecture and Design Film Festival (ADFF) in Mumbai, opening in January 2026.

The arc has travelled far and deep. Earlier this year, STIR marked a milestone with a curtain-raiser event in London for ADFF:STIR, announcing a London edition and laying the groundwork for long-term global partnerships. Following that, sustained media engagements, sharply observed interviews, thoughtful exchanges and the release of a dedicated video essay featuring Renzo Piano—each reinforced a commitment to design as discourse, cultural memory and knowledge. Like so, ADFF:STIR Mumbai 2026 is taking shape with attention and

intention, featuring a roster of engaging pavilions selected by an esteemed jury and conceived as myriad cinematic fragments; ~log(ue), STIR's curated talks programme which extends its approach to public engagement by bridging people (log/ लोग) and discourses (~logues); and the films themselves, which remain the festival's emotional spine, from 'Sketches of Frank Gehry' (2005) to a slew of titles in 3D including 'Anselm' (2023) by Wim Wenders.

Today, STIR stands on a cusp, where documentation edges toward the building of an institution; where storytelling expands into platform making; where dissemination deepens into dialogue. What lies ahead is both continuation and a shift in scale, ambition and reach. ADFF:STIR Mumbai's return embodies that shift. A festival, yes, but also a proposition—that cinema can serve as a critical lens for architecture; that design benefits from reflection beyond practise alone; and that creative cultures thrive when ideas are encountered collectively. As the year turns, we hold the pause—then step forward. Here's to all that lies ahead.