DIFF to screen 58 Bangladeshi films this year

The 24th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is set to begin on January 10, featuring 58 Bangladeshi films across various sections. Among them are 15 feature-length films and 43 short films. This year's festival will showcase a total of 246 feature-length and short films from more than 70 countries, screened across 11 categories.

Despite the strong local presence, no Bangladeshi film has been selected for the festival's main competition segment, the Asian Competition section. To highlight local cinema on the international stage, a separate Bangladesh Panorama section will screen nine Bangladeshi films.

These include Sohel Rana's "Noya Manush", the youth-driven film "Ural", Biplob Kumar Pal's "Dhamer Gaan", Anonno Proteek's "Noya Note", and Suman Dhar's "Agantuk". Ahmed Hasan's "Ekhane Rajnoitik Alap Joruri" will have its world premiere in this section. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on January 16.

Also featured in the Bangladesh Panorama section are Monirul Haque's "The University of Chankharpul", Jack Mir's "The Story of a Rock", and Tanim Noor's "Utshob", which generated significant discussion following its Eid release last year.

Bangladesh Panorama Talent

The Bangladesh Panorama Talent section will showcase 11 short films by emerging Bangladeshi filmmakers. Selected titles include Abir Ferdous's "Spite", Ummid Ashraf's "Dhyat", Adel Imam Anup's "Solemate", Ahsabul Yamin's "Jonmo Theke Jolchi", Golam Mustakim and Hasib Ahmed's "Jatra Biroti", Shubhashish Sinha's "Hunasori", Sajid Shams's "Boithok", Prodip Saha's "Ontosar", Ahmed Hasan's "Song from the South", Tanha Tabassum's "What If", and Touhid Tushar's "Before the End".

World Cinema and Women sections

The World Cinema section will feature 49 films from various countries, including two Bangladeshi entries—Abdus Samad's "Shrabon Jochhnay" and Sheikh Al Mamun's "Drained Dream".

The Women section, comprising 27 feature-length and short films by female filmmakers, includes five Bangladeshi short films: Afroza Hossain's "Timir Gaan", Pragya Parmita Das's "Pottery: The Forgotten Art", Chaitali Samadder's "Mariam", Shaila Rahman's "Jhora Pातार Chithi", and Swarna Mahmud's "The Road to My Father".

Other sections

In the Spiritual section, 12 short films will be screened, with Fazle Rabbi's "The Eternal Journey" being the sole Bangladeshi entry. The Children's Film section will feature 15 short films, including Bangladeshi selections "Shobder Opare" by Shiam Shyams and Sayba Talukder, and "Porinam" by Nazmul Huda.

The Shorts and Independent section will screen 81 short films, 17 of which are from Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the Open Bioscope section will feature 19 feature-length and short films, including four Bangladeshi feature films and seven shorts. Bangladeshi titles in this section include Arun Chowdhury's "Jole Jole Tara", Barua Sunanda's "Dot", Sabuj Khan's "Behula Dordi", and Raisul Islam's "Bishwas Koren Bhai".

According to festival organisers, the opening ceremony will take place at 4:00 pm on January 10 at the main auditorium of the National Museum in Shahbagh. Following the inauguration, the Chinese film "The Journey to No End" from the Asian Competition section will be screened at 5:30 pm.

The nine-day festival will conclude on January 18 with an award ceremony and screenings of the winning films. Organised by Rainbow Film Society, screenings will be held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the National Museum, Alliance Française de Dhaka auditorium, and Stamford University auditorium.