Mumbai Film Festival programme is divided into five sections: International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors, World Cinema, Indian Showcase, Mumbai Dimensions and Retrospectives.

This year, MFF carries some of the biggest cash awards in the world for its International Competition of First Feature Films of Directors category. These debut features will compete for the cash award of about USD 100 000 (Rs 50 00 000) and Golden Gateway India trophy for the best film and the Silver Gateway India and cash prize of USD 50 000 (Rs 25 00 000) for the Jury Grand Prize. The best talent from these films will be awarded Silver Gateway India. This year MAMI is introducing a USD 20 000 (about Rs 10 00 000) Audience Choice Award. Films from all sections except retrospective and tributes will compete for this award.

11th Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) will honour two extremely talented film-makers from India and abroad. Indian actor-producer Shashi Kapoor will receive the Indian Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural function of the festival on October 29, 2009 and legendary Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos will be presented the International Lifetime Achievement Award in the closing ceremony of the festival on November 5, 2009.

American screenwriter and director Paul Schrader and Iranian New Wave filmmaker Jafar Panahi will serve as the jury member of the International Competition for First Feature Film of Directors.