The 24th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF 2026) will run from January 10 to 18, celebrating global cinema under the slogan “Better Cinema, Better Audience, Better Society.” Organised by Rainbow Film Society, the festival features 245 films from 91 countries. The lineup includes Asian Film Competition, Bangladesh Panorama, Cinema of the World, Retrospective, Wide Angle, Women Filmmaker, Short and Independent Film, Spiritual Film, Children’s Film Session, and Open-Air Bioscope. All screenings are free, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The festival details were revealed at a press conference at Dhaka Club, attended by DIFF Director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, Sadia Khalid Reeti, Lutfa Mahmuda, Ehsanul Haque Dipu, journalist Rafiquzzaman, Bangladesh Tourism Board CEO Nuzhat Yasmin, press in-charge Bidhan Rebeiro, Philippine delegate Editha Claudia, and Enigma TV CEO Fahmidul Islam. Additionally, the conference highlighted key festival events, workshops, and exhibitions.
DIFF 2026 will open on January 10 at 4 pm at the Bangladesh National Museum. Information and Broadcasting Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan will attend as chief guest, while Croatian filmmaker Aleksandra Markovic and Chinese Embassy Cultural Counsellor Li Xiaopeng will join as special guests. The opening film is Wu Jin Zhi Lu (The Journey to No End) by Chen Xiang, and meanwhile, Theatrical Company O Jol Torongo will perform a cultural show before the screening.
For the first time, DIFF will host open-air screenings at Cox’s Bazar, showing selected films at Laboni Beach Point from January 10 to 18. This initiative, organised with the Bangladesh Tourism Board, offers audiences a unique cinematic experience by the sea. Meanwhile, the 12th Dhaka International Conference on Women in Cinema will run January 11–12 at Dhaka Club’s Samson Lounge, bringing together local and international women filmmakers to share experiences. Additionally, the conference will highlight women’s contributions to global cinema, and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid will inaugurate the event.
The West Meets East Screenplay Lab will take place January 11–14 at Vintage Convention Hall, Dhanmondi. Ten selected Asian projects will receive mentorship and pitch their scripts to industry professionals. The top three projects will win Tk 5 lakh, 3 lakh, and 2 lakh. Furthermore, the popular DIFF Masterclass returns on January 17, featuring Teresa Vena, Aleksandra Markovic, and Liton Korr. The sessions run from 11 am to 6 pm, covering filmmaking techniques and production design.
An art exhibition titled Shunyo Abhirup, curated by Lutfa Mahmuda, will run January 9–17 at the Bangladesh Military Museum’s 3D Art Gallery, where ten renowned Bangladeshi artists will display works blending cinema with visual arts. The festival concludes on January 18 at the Bangladesh National Museum, with Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki attending as chief guest. The Best Film award winner will be screened, and finally, musical performances by Ahmed Hasan Sani will close the event.
