The 17th edition of Dhaka International Film Festival has ended in city. The closing ceremony was held on January 18 at the Main Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh. KM Khaled, State Minister of Cultural Affairs and Shahriar Alam, State Minister of Foreign Affairs and also chief patron of the festival were present at the event. The event marked the award giving ceremony of the festival. This year around two hundred and eighteen films from seventy-two countries took part in the festival. In the competitive Asian Film Section best film has been adjudged to be Darak Yry (The Song of the Tree) by Aibek Daiyrbekov of Kyrgyzstan, Best Director is the Iranian Pooya Badkoobeh for the film Dressage.

The nine day long festival started on January 10. The festival featured the "5th Women Filmmakers' Conference", 2nd edition of Asian Film Critics Assembly among others. This year's new edition was a special seminar "West Meets East" on the blending of the distinct conventions and traits of culture and filmmaking existing between the western and eastern hemispheres of the modern world.

When it comes to key players in a crew, Best Scriptwriter is Rody Vera for the Philippine film Signal Rock, Best Cinematographer is Rifkat Ibragimov for the Kazakh film Shynyrau (Deep Well). Best Actress is Demet Evgar for the film Sofra Sirlari (Serial Cook) and Best Actor is Yigit Ege Yazar for Brothers of Silence, both of which are Turkish films.

This year Best Audience Award has gone to Indian film Ek Je Chilo Raja Directed by Srijit Mukheji. Best Critic Film by FIPRESCI Jury in the Bangladesh Panorama section is Sonatan Goplpo (Ancient Trap) by Masum Aziz.

In the Children Film's Section best award went to Kazakh film Little Prince of Our City by Talgat Temenov. Best Feature Film in Women Filmmakers Section is Mamang by Denise O'hara of Phillipines and Best Feature Film in Spiritual Section is the Indo-Ukraine joint venture Namdev Bhau directed by Dar Gai.

Jury board in the Asian Film Competition Section included Ilias Kanchan - from Bangladesh; Franois d'Artemare, France; Magnus Meyer Arnesen, Norway and Jovan Markovic, from Serbia.