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 ran January 10-18, 2026, screening 245 films from 91 countries including 44 films from Bangladesh. 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 71-91 countries. The 23rd edition (January 2025) screened 220 films from 75 countries. The 24th edition (January 2026) screened 245 films from 91 countries, including 44 films from Bangladesh.
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.
Past Winners
DIFF awards prizes across multiple competition sections. Key past winners include:
- 2022 (20th edition) - Koozhangal (Pebbles), directed by P.S. Vinothraj (India), won Best Film in the Asian Film Competition. Ajob Karkhana, directed by Shabnam Ferdousi (Bangladesh), won the FIPRESCI Best Film in Bangladesh Panorama. Lal Moroger Jhuti and Chandrabati Kotha jointly won the Bangladesh Panorama Audience Award.
- 2022 (20th edition) - Sujit Bidari (Nepal) won Best Director for Ainaa Jhyal Ko Putali. Anik Dutta (India) won Best Script for Aparajito. Ketaki Narayan won Best Actress for Prappeda.
- 2025 (23rd edition) - Yakshanba (Sunday), directed by Shokir Kholikov (Uzbekistan), won Best Film in the Asian Film Competition. Priyo Maloti, directed by Shankha Dasgupta (Bangladesh), won the FIPRESCI Best Full-Length Feature Film in Bangladesh Panorama. Kumva, directed by Sarah Mallegol (France), won Best Feature Film in the Women Filmmakers section.
- 2026 (24th edition) - Kurak, directed by Erke Dzhumakmatova and Emil Atageldiev (Kyrgyzstan), won Best Film in the Asian Film Competition. Emin Afandiyev (Azerbaijan) won Best Director for A Lonely Person's Monologue. Yerlan Tuleutay won Best Actor for Abel. Fariba Naderi (Iran) won Best Actress for The Husband. Daehae (South Korea) won Best Fiction Film in the Women Filmmakers section for A Vast Algorithm of Humanity. Tanha Tabassum (Bangladesh) won Best Film in the Panorama Talent section for What If.
- 2021 (19th edition) - The Road to Eden, directed by Bakyt Mukul and Dastan Zhapar Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), won Best Film in the Asian Competition. Unoponchash Batash, directed by Masud Hasan Ujjal (Bangladesh), won the FIPRESCI Best Film in Bangladesh Panorama. Gondi won the Bangladesh Panorama Audience Award.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
Several films that won or screened at DIFF went on to broader international recognition:
- Koozhangal (Pebbles) won Best Film at DIFF 2022 after winning the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2021. It was selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. The film was produced by actress Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan under their Rowdy Pictures banner.
- Priyo Maloti won the FIPRESCI Award at DIFF 2025. It had previously screened at the Cairo International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India. The film was released theatrically in Bangladesh in December 2024.
- The Road to Eden won Best Film at DIFF 2021 after its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2020. The Kyrgyz film about an old writer's belief in literature represented the strong showing of Central Asian cinema at DIFF.
- Ainaa Jhyal Ko Putali (Butterfly on the Windowpane), directed by Sujit Bidari, won Best Director at DIFF 2022. The Nepali film highlighted DIFF's role in showcasing South Asian cinema beyond India and Bangladesh.
- Kurak (2025) won Best Film at DIFF 2026 after winning two awards at the Busan International Film Festival: the Bangladesh July Memorial Prize and the Kim Jiseok Award. It also won three awards at the 32nd Festival International des Cinemas d'Asie de Vesoul, including the Grand Prix de Jury. The Kyrgyz film is a co-production between Kyrgyzstan, Switzerland, Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Italy.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
- DIFF charges no submission fees. This makes it accessible for filmmakers with limited budgets, particularly from South Asia.
- The festival requires a Bangladesh festival premiere. Films previously screened at any other festival within Bangladesh are ineligible.
- Submit in MP4 format only. The festival does not support DCP, which is unusual for an international festival. Plan your delivery format accordingly.
- English subtitles are required. Provide hardcoded subtitles or a separate SRT file.
- All selected films must obtain a Screening Certificate from the Bangladesh Film Censorship Board. The Board reviews content for nudity, obscenity, sexually explicit material, and content that may harm Bangladesh's international relations. Cuts or blurring may be applied.
- Once a film is officially selected, it cannot be withdrawn under any circumstances. Read the regulations carefully before submitting.
- The West Meets East Screenplay Lab is a separate opportunity for Asian filmmakers. Ten finalists receive mentorship from international experts during the festival, with development funding for the top three scripts. The lab deadline is typically in July.
- Priority is given to films produced in the current year. Films from the previous year are accepted in special cases.
Industry Reputation Notes
DIFF is recognized as the leading international film festival in Bangladesh. Organized by the Rainbow Film Society since 1992, it holds FIPRESCI accreditation for its competition sections. The festival screens 220 to 250 films from 70 to 91 countries across roughly nine days. The 24th edition in 2026 screened 245 films from 91 countries, including 44 films from Bangladesh.
The festival's reputation is strongest in Asian and social cinema. FIPRESCI jurors have noted that DIFF provides a platform for film industries that lack booming economies or established festival circuit presence. The guiding theme, "Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society," reflects its focus on humanistic values.
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 censorship requirement affects the festival's reputation. Films with content that may not pass the Bangladesh Film Censorship Board should be submitted with awareness that modifications may be required. The West Meets East Screenplay Lab adds a development dimension, with a first prize of Tk 500,000 (approximately $4,550 USD).
Compared to peer festivals, DIFF is smaller in industry infrastructure than the Busan International Film Festival, which operates a full film market and Asian Project Market. Unlike IFFI Goa, which is government-backed with a larger budget, DIFF relies on the Rainbow Film Society's organizational capacity. However, DIFF's free submission model and FIPRESCI accreditation give it accessibility that larger festivals cannot match for South Asian filmmakers.
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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.
