The annual Dhaka International Film Festival, shortly abbreviated as DIFF - has been widely regarded as one of the longest-running cultural festivities in Bangladesh. Since 1992, the festival has been going strong by Rainbow Film Society, chorusing the signature slogan - "Better Film, Better Audience, Better Society." Even though major festivities across the world and also in Bangladesh have been affected and jeopardized for the past couple of years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, this particular festival never stopped enthralling moviegoers with its January festivity every year - and this year has been no exception as the festival is just knocking at the door and is now all set to celebrate quality films once again, transcending the barriers. The 22nd edition of the coveted DIFF will begin on Saturday, January 20 - showcasing 252 films from 74 countries.

The festival this year will showcase a total of one hundred and twenty-nine full-length feature films and one hundred and twenty-three short and independent films, with Bangladesh represented by 71 flicks, including 12 full-length feature films. Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali will open the festival as its chief guest at 4 pm in the main auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. The Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, and the subcontinent's renowned actress, Sharmila Tagore, will be special guests during the inaugural event. Shahriar Alam MP, the festival's chief patron, will preside over the opening ceremony.

On Thursday, a press conference was arranged at Dhaka Club in the capital where the festival director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, Dhaka Club President Ashrafuzzaman Khan (Puton), festival executive committee member Jalal Ahmed, patron committee member and Jatiya Press Club (JPC) General Secretary Shyamal Dutta, dramatist and theatre personality M Hamid, cultural personality and Advisory Committee member Mofidul Hoque, film critic and 22nd DIFF Media In-charge Bidhan Rebeiro and DIFF Chairman Kishwar Kamal, also the press conference chairperson, briefed the journos.

"Since 1992, the Rainbow Film Society has been organising the Dhaka International Film Festival with support from different organisations. Unfortunately, the support is decreasing day by day. To continue this acclaimed festival in the future, we need proper financial assistance from the government and elite members and corporations in society, which is the driving force behind every other successful film festival across the world," Ahmed Muztaba Zamal said at the press conference.

The festival this year will open with the Iran-Bangladesh joint production film 'Fereshteh' starring acclaimed actress Jaya Ahsan and directed by Morteza Atashzamzam, under the Wide Angle Film Poster Exhibition section. The inaugural session on Saturday evening will also showcase the Shyam Benegal-directed 'Mujib: Ekti Jatir Rupokar' (Mujib: The Making of a Nation) at 7 pm, under the Bangladesh Panorama category. Moviegoers will be welcomed at different venues of the 22nd edition of this annual film festival, including the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium (main auditorium) and Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum, National Art Gallery Auditorium and National Music and Dance Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Academy Auditorium and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital.

The films will be screened under the Asian Competition Section, Retrospective Section, Tribute, Bangladesh Panorama, Wide Angle, Cinema of the World, Children's Film, Spiritual Films, Short and Independent Film and Women's Film Session. Like previous editions, the 'West Meets East: Screenwriting Competition', an interactive four-day seminar and workshop for filmmakers, will be held at the Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) from January 23-26.

Minister of Social Welfare Dr Dipu Moni will inaugurate the Wide Angle section of the 22nd DIFF on January 22 at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum, which will be joined by the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Deputy Chair of Shanghai Film Association and distinguished film scholar Dr Shi Chuan as the special guests.

Apart from this, there will be a masterclass for the second time in the festival which will be held throughout the day on January 27 at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum. The first session will be addressed by eminent film scholar Dr. Shi Chuan, Deputy Chair of the Shanghai Film Association of China, while the second session will feature renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and the third session will feature Indian filmmaker, actor and singer Anjan Dutt. The sessions will be moderated by Bangladeshi film critic Bidhan Rebeiro. Registration will be required to join the masterclasses and the registration link will be available on the Facebook page of the festival. However, the registration must be completed before January 27.

The '10th International Women Filmmakers Conference' on the role of women in films will be held on the 3rd floor of the Samson Lounge, Dhaka Club, from January 21-22 as part of the festival. Department of Film and Television, Jagannath University will cooperate, and UNDP will be a strategic partner. At the conference, Bangladeshi women filmmakers will get a golden opportunity to gain experience by exchanging views with local and foreign women filmmakers and personalities. Here, women makers will discuss the obstacles and ways to overcome them in their work with renowned women makers from around the world, according to the organizers. Eminent Indian actress and the esteemed guest of this year's festival Sharmila Tagore will formally inaugurate the '10th International Women Film Makers Conference,' chaired by DIFF Chairperson Kishwar Kamal on January 21 at 9:30 am. State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Simin Hossain Rimi will be present as the Chief Guest at the conference.

Initiated by Rainbow Film Society, the most prestigious and significant film festival in Bangladesh, which has been contributing greatly to building a mindful and positive culture in the country by creating a platform for young and promising filmmakers to connect with the international film genre, while simultaneously strengthening the similar genre of films in Bangladesh - the DIFF is supported by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, The Embassy of China in Dhaka and Summit Group, alongside the festival's longstanding partners - Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka Club Limited, Bangladesh National Museum, Alliance Française de Dhaka, Norwegian International Film Festival Handsund, Religion Today Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Channel I, Ekattor TV, Sense for Wave, and CloudLive.

Open to all, the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival will conclude on January 28 this year. Details regarding the festival including the screening schedule are available at https://www.dhakafilmfestival.org