Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF)

Overview

The Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is Bangladesh's leading international film festival, held annually in January in Dhaka. Organized by the Rainbow Film Society since 1992, the festival screens 220-250 films from 70-75 countries across roughly nine days. Its guiding theme is "Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society."

The 24th edition is scheduled for January 10-18, 2026. The 25th edition (Silver Jubilee) will run January 9-17, 2027, coinciding with the Rainbow Film Society's 50th anniversary. Submission for the 25th edition opens June 1, 2026 and closes September 30, 2026.

DIFF charges no entry or submission fees. For filmmakers working in South Asian cinema or producing films with strong social and humanistic themes, this festival offers free access to a juried international platform and a FIPRESCI-accredited competition section.

Submission Details

• Submission platform: Direct via the official website
• Entry fee: Free. No screening fees are paid to selected films either.
• Submission window (25th edition): June 1 to September 30, 2026
• Premiere requirement: Bangladesh festival premiere. Films previously screened at any other festival within Bangladesh are ineligible.
• Production year: Priority given to films produced in 2026. Films from 2025 accepted in special cases.
• Resubmission: Films previously submitted (whether accepted or rejected) cannot be resubmitted.
• Format: MP4 (HD) only. DCP is not supported. Screenings take place at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and Bangladesh National Museum Auditorium.
• Subtitles: Hardcoded English subtitles or a separate SRT file required.
• Censorship: All selected films must obtain a Screening Certificate from the Bangladesh Film Censorship Board. The Board reviews content for nudity, obscenity, sexually explicit material, promotion of homosexuality, disrespect to any religion, or content that may harm Bangladesh's international relations. Cuts or blurring may be applied.

Competition Sections and Awards

Asian Competition

Fiction features from Asia, minimum 70 minutes. An international jury awards:

• Best Film: Crest, certificate, and cash prize of Tk 100,000 (approximately $910 USD)
• Best Director: Crest and certificate
• Best Actor: Crest and certificate
• Best Actress: Crest and certificate
• Best Script: Crest and certificate
• Best Cinematographer: Crest and certificate

Women Filmmakers Section

Feature films (minimum 55 minutes) and short films (maximum 30 minutes) by female filmmakers. An all-female jury awards:

• Best Documentary
• Best Fiction Film
• Best Director

Bangladesh Panorama (Full Length)

10-15 selected Bangladeshi fiction and documentary films (minimum 55 minutes, produced 2025-2026). A FIPRESCI jury presents the Critics' Award to one outstanding film.

Bangladesh Panorama (Talent)

Short films (maximum 15 minutes) by young Bangladeshi filmmakers. Top three films receive awards: grand prize winner gets a FIPRESCI Crest and Certificate; runners-up receive certificates.

Cinema of the World

30-40 international fiction and documentary features (minimum 55 minutes, produced 2025-2026). One film wins the Audience Award by viewer vote.

Spiritual Films

Films exploring faith and spirituality in the human context. An international interfaith jury selects one documentary and one fiction film for recognition. Features must be minimum 55 minutes; shorts maximum 30 minutes.

Children's Film

15 fiction films programmed for family audiences. Street children are invited to attend screenings with refreshments provided. One film wins the Best Juvenile Film Audience Award.

Additional Sections

• Retrospective: Dedicated to legendary filmmakers, particularly from Asia and Europe
• Tribute: Honoring filmmakers, actors, or artists who have passed away
• Wide Angle: Independent and experimental films
• Short and Independent Film: Short-form works outside the main competition

West Meets East Screenplay Lab

Open to filmmakers across Asia. Ten finalists receive mentorship from international experts during the festival. Top three scripts receive development funding:

• 1st place: Tk 500,000 (approximately $4,550 USD)
• 2nd place: Tk 300,000 (approximately $2,730 USD)
• 3rd place: Tk 200,000 (approximately $1,820 USD)

Submission deadline for the lab: July 31, 2025 (for the 2026 edition).

What Filmmakers Should Know

DIFF is not a film market. There is no attached industry market or sales platform. The festival's value lies in regional exposure, FIPRESCI recognition, and access to South Asian audiences.

The festival is devoted primarily to fiction feature films. Documentary and short films are only eligible in the Women Filmmakers, Short and Independent Films, Spiritual Films, and other special sections. If your film does not fit those categories, it will not be considered for the main competition.

The censorship requirement is a practical consideration. Films with content that may not pass the Bangladesh Film Censorship Board should be submitted with awareness that cuts or blurring may be applied. The festival states that once a film is officially selected, it cannot be withdrawn under any circumstances.

DIFF transitioned from a biennial to an annual schedule in 2017. Recent editions have screened 220-252 films from 71-75 countries. The 23rd edition (January 2025) screened 220 films from 75 countries.

Festival History

DIFF was founded in 1992 by Ahmed Muztaba Zamal of the Rainbow Film Society, which itself was established on July 25, 1977. The first edition was held December 26-31, 1992, initially under the name "Dhaka Film Festival." The word "International" was added in 1993 when Indian director Adoor Gopalakrishnan attended as the sole foreign guest.

The festival ran biennially from 1995 through 2016, then shifted to an annual schedule starting with the 15th edition in 2017. Over 24 editions, DIFF has grown from screening 13 films in its first year to 252 films from 71 countries in 2024.

The Rainbow Film Society also publishes "The Celluloid," one of Bangladesh's leading cinema periodicals with an international readership. The festival has hosted the Dhaka International Conference on Women in Cinema in partnership with the University of Dhaka's Department of Women and Gender Studies.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to weigh submission costs against potential audience reach. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy. For South Asian cinema context, see International Film Markets.