DIFF Day 4: Bangladeshi cinema shines amid global showcase

The fourth day of the 24th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) offers one of its busiest schedules, blending Bangladeshi cinema with films from Asia and Europe. Today’s lineup spans China, Iran, Turkey, Argentina, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Azerbaijan, Singapore, the UK, Sweden, Italy, Laos, and Kazakhstan—turning Dhaka into a crossroads of world cinema for a single day.

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More than 30 screenings take place across four major venues, with Bangladeshi films commanding prime slots in the Bangladesh Panorama and Open T Bioscope sections. Roughly one in four films today has Bangladeshi creative involvement.

The day leans toward social realism and intimate storytelling, exploring themes of family, identity, migration, survival, and quiet resistance. Animation, children-oriented narratives, and experimental shorts add variety. The busiest viewing period is 5 pm onwards, when multiple venues run simultaneous screenings.

The festival continues until January 18, offering audiences one of the broadest selections of world cinema ever presented in Bangladesh.

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Here’s the full list of films scheduled for today:

Venue: Bangladesh National Museum, Main Auditorium

Film: Debate
Dir: Nikolai Geffele
Time: 10:30 am

Film: Shi Jie Ri Chu SHI (All Quiet at Sunrise)
Dir: Xin Zhu
Time: 1 pm

Film: Emalovi (Lioness)
Dir: Liina Trishkina Vanhatalo
Time: 1 pm

Film: Cha Chai
Dir: Sheikh Korashanee
Time: 5:30 pm onwards

Film: Prachir (The Wall)
Dir: Israt Jarin
Time: 5:30 pm onwards

Film: Ghure Daranor Golpo
Dir: Evan Monowar
Time: 5:30 pm onwards

Open T Bioscope Section
Film: Mro Rupkotha
Dir: Abm Nazmul Huda
Time: 5:30 pm onwards

Film: The Story of a Rock
Dir: Zak Mir
Time: 7 pm onwards

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Venue: National Museum- Sufia Kamal Auditorium

Film: Iskuplenie (Redemption)
Dir: Konstantin Eronin
Time: 10:30 am

Film: Return Home
Dir: Aretha Jasmine
Time: 1 pm

Film: La catena del tempo (The Chain of Time)
Dir: Aurora Ovan
Time: 1 pm

Film:  Reflejo (Reflect)
Dir: Ani Mencos
Time: 1 pm

Film: Exi (Six)
Dir: Leoni Xerovasila
Time: 1 pm

Film: Sukoun (Amplified)
Dir: Dina Naser
Time: 1 pm

Film: Hitch 60
Dir: Sara Al Ovaidly
Time: 1 pm

Film: Cestovatel (The Wayfarer)
Dir: Veronika Jelšíková
Time:  1 pm

Film: La catena del tempo (The Chain of Time)
Dir: Aurora Ovan
Time: 1 pm

Film: Reflejo (Reflect)
Dir: Ani Mencos
Time: 1 pm

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Venue: National Art Gallery Auditorium, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Film: Ponman (Kingfisher)
Dir: Jothish Shankar
Time: 10:30 am

Film: Xiong Shi Shaonian (I Am What I Am)
Dir: Sun Haipeng
Time: 1 pm

Film: Mohi Dar Shast (Fish on The Hook)
Dir: Muhiddin Muzaffar
Time: 3 pm onwards

Film: Baba Noel
Dir: Rekawt Hama Tofiq
Time: 3 pm onwards

Film: Abe Motahhar (Holy Water)
Dir: Esmail Ramezani, Marzeih Bani Ali
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Ghooha Istade Mikhaband (Swans Sleep Standing)
Dir: Mousa Razavi
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: The Alter Echo
Dir: Santanu Biswas
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: The Sun Will Not Rise
Dir: Alireza Sadeghi Moghaddam
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Rivers Do Not Return
Dir: Omid Shakaryazi
Time: 5 pm onwards

Alliance Française de Dhaka
Film: Abel
Dir: Elzat Eskendir
Time: 10:30 am

Film: Tri Svadbi I Odin Pobeg (3 Weddings and One Escape)
Dir: Kirill Loginov
Time: 2:30 pm onwards

Film: Papa Buka
Dir: Dr Bijukumar Damodaran
Time: 4:30 pm onwards

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Venue: Stamford University Bangladesh Auditorium, Siddeswari Road

Film: Shi Jie Ri Chu SHI (All Quiet at Sunrise)
Dir: Xin Zhu
Time: 11 am

Film: Al Awda
Dir: Jason Soo
Time: 1 pm

Film: Ziba Seda-yam Kon (Whisper My Name)
Dir: Rasoul Sadrameli
Time: 3 pm onwards

Film: Have You Seen Him Again
Dir: Golam Anis Azad
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Civilised
Dir: Tariqul Islam
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Jibon Rekha
Dir: Abdulla Al Junaid
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Odvut
Dir: Ayon Shaah
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Making Ityadi
Dir: Simon Adams
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Fonimonsha
Dir: Abhijit Sarker Arka
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: The Reader
Dir: Mohammad Monir Hossain
Time: 5 pm onwards

Film: Red Roots
Dir: Shikor Haque Chowdhury
Time: 5 pm onwards