Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF)

Overview

The Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is Bangladesh's most important international film festival. Founded in 1988 and held biennially in January in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital and largest city, the festival presents South Asian and international cinema with an explicit focus on films that reflect human and social values.

Bangladesh has a modest but growing film industry, with Bangladeshi-language (Bangla) films serving the country's large domestic market. The festival provides the most important international platform for Bangladeshi cinema and connects Dhaka audiences with world cinema.

The festival's founding in 1988 makes it one of the older film festivals in South Asia, and its biennial format allows for careful selection from a broad international field.

Key Sections

• Competition of Asian Films -- Asian films competing for jury prizes
• Retrospective -- programs dedicated to important filmmakers
• Women Filmmakers' Section -- films by women directors
• Children's Films -- programming for young audiences
• Spirituality in Cinema -- films addressing spiritual themes

What Filmmakers Should Know

DIFF accepts open submissions in its biennial years. The festival's focus on social and human values makes it particularly receptive to films with strong ethical content and social engagement. For Bangladeshi filmmakers, this is the most important domestic platform.

Major Awards

• Golden Peacock Award -- Best Asian Film
• Best Women Film
• Audience Award
• Special Jury Prize

Festival History

DIFF was founded in 1988 and has operated biennially since then, building one of South Asia's more distinctive festival identities around its focus on humanistic values in cinema.

See Also

For South Asian cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.