Against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding large-scale cultural events in the capital, the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is set to begin with a Chinese film as its opening feature.
Following the government's decision last December to withhold permission for nearly a dozen concerts by foreign artists due to the country's overall situation, questions naturally arose about the fate of the Dhaka festival. Scheduled to begin on January 10, the festival has nevertheless pressed ahead, with organisers busy in last-minute preparations. The official screening schedule was released on December 31.
This year's festival will open with the Chen Xiang directorial Chinese film "The Journey to No End", which will be screened as the inaugural title.
Organised by Rainbow Film Society, the Dhaka International Film Festival will feature 11 competitive and non-competitive sections. More than 246 full-length and short films from over 70 countries will be screened across multiple venues, including the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Alliance Française de Dhaka, and Stamford University Bangladesh auditorium.
The opening ceremony will take place on January 10 at 4pm at the main auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. At 5:30pm, the opening film "The Journey to No End" will be screened. The film is competing in the Asian Film Competition section. Later in the evening, at 7pm, the Iranian film "Without Me" will be shown.
The Bangladesh Panorama section of this year's festival will showcase nine local films, reflecting a wide range of themes and cinematic approaches. The selected titles are "Noya Manush" by Sohel Rana Boyati, "Uraal" by Jobaidur Rahman, "Dhamer Gaan" by Biplob Kumar Pal Bipu, "Noya Note" by Anonno Proteek Chowdhuri, "Agantuk" by Suman Dhar, "Ekhane Rajnoitik Alap Joruri" by Ahmed Hasan Sani, "The University of Chankharpul" by Monirul Haque, "The Story of a Rock" by Jack Meir, and "Utshob" by Tanim Noor.
The nine-day festival will conclude on January 18 with an awards ceremony.
A special highlight of this year's edition is the celebration of 120 years of Chinese cinema through a dedicated segment titled Chinese Film Week, marking a significant milestone in global film history and reinforcing the festival's international outlook.
Despite logistical and political uncertainties, the organisers remain determined to keep the cinematic dialogue alive—positioning the Dhaka International Film Festival once again as a meeting ground for global and local storytelling.
