The Dhaka International Film Festival currently shines proudly in Bangladesh, spreading its radiance throughout the country's film community. Not only within the country, but this festival, organized by the Rainbow Film Society, is also well known among film festivals, filmmakers, producers, artists, and critics abroad. I will briefly explain how this festival began.
Bangladesh had just gained independence then. With the resolve of 1971, young people were trying to do something new. While efforts were underway in the cultural sphere to consolidate Bengali nationalism, there was also a visible attempt to portray Bengali culture and the great Liberation War on celluloid. In the 1970s alone, nearly eighty film clubs were established. This indicates that immediately after achieving independence, there was a strong urge to engage with cinema in this region. Surely, we know about Zahir Raihan’s documentary Stop Genocide (1971). Raihan made this film guerrilla-style during the war. Not only that, three other documentaries focusing on the Liberation War were also made at that time. Zahir Raihan himself directed another documentary: A State is Born (1971). Under Raihan’s supervision, Alamgir Kabir made Liberation Fighters (1971), and Babul Chowdhury produced Innocent Millions (1971). It is clear that cinema was integrally connected to the bloody struggle of Bangladesh’s independence. So, it is no surprise that so many film societies and clubs were established after the country’s liberation.
In the late 1970s, on July 25, 1977, embodying the spirit of advancing the cultural movement of post-war Bangladesh, a meeting was held at the Community Center of Green Road Colony in Dhaka, chaired by Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, where cultural activists and filmmakers gathered. This meeting was held to establish a new film society. The name finalized there was: "Rainbow Film Society." Later, we see that this film society not only organized film screenings but also arranged exhibitions of music, dance, and visual arts.
On August 9, 1977, Rainbow applied to become a member of the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies, submitting their application to the then General Secretary of the Federation, Khaled Haider, with the aim of expanding their activities. It took several months for Rainbow to become a member of the Federation. The pioneers of this initial journey were Mostafa Kamal, M. Latifur Rahman, Restadul Islam, Khandakar Kamruzzaman, Khandakar Moshiur Rahman, Belayet Hossain, Pinu Mostafa, Jafrin Alam, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, Mokammel Hossain, among others. It is important to note here that Ahmed Muztaba Zamal was involved in the preparations to establish the society from the very beginning, although he was not part of the committee at that time. Ahmed Muztaba Zamal was actively involved in all the work of the film society, which was being formed under the leadership of Mostafa Kamal.
On December 26, 1977, Rainbow began their formal journey at the then Soviet Cultural Center located in Dhanmondi. The first event lasted three days, on December 26, 27, and 28. The inauguration was officiated by Mohammad Abdul Momen Khan, the then government’s food advisor, as the chief guest. Tayeb Uddin Ahmed presided over the opening ceremony. Rainbow’s General Secretary Mohammad Mostafa Kamal and President Latifur Rahman delivered speeches at the event. The special guest was V.I. Tityayev, then head of the Soviet Cultural Center. After the inauguration, courtesy of the Soviet Embassy, the film White Bird with Black Mark was screened. Directed by Yuri Ilyenko, this film had won a gold medal at the Moscow Film Festival.
The next day, December 27, a seminar was held on the topic: "Cinema and Society." After the seminar, courtesy of Anis Films (Dhaka), Rajen Tarafdar’s film Palank (The Bed) was shown. On the final day of Rainbow’s inaugural event, December 28, a cultural program featuring local artists took place. Finally, the Uzbek film The Poem of Two Hearts, directed by Kamil Yormatov, was screened.
Since the journey of the Dhaka International Film Festival began with the regular full-length film screenings organized by the Rainbow Film Society, it is necessary to say a bit more about this society.
From the very beginning, the Rainbow Film Society has played a strong role in building film culture in Bangladesh through activities such as film screenings, seminars, workshops, meetings, and film sessions. In its first year alone, Rainbow organized 61 film screenings. It goes without saying that, unlike many organizations today, Rainbow was not only centered in the capital. Between 1977 and 1981, Rainbow operated four branches in various districts, including Chittagong, Rajshahi, Gaibandha, and Tangail. Rainbow was particularly active in Chittagong, where they held many events.
During this time, on September 9, 1980, Rainbow was officially registered by the Bangladesh Film Censor Board. The renowned director Alamgir Kabir was closely involved with many of Rainbow’s activities during this period. Under his guidance, Rainbow organized numerous workshops, which drew significant attention among film professionals.
In addition to these activities, the organization regularly published an annual magazine. Initially, it was called Nikkon, but after 1982, the magazine’s name was changed to Celluloid. Despite many difficulties, this publication is still being produced today.
Rainbow’s diverse activities gradually began to decline. The reason was that over time, the members of the society changed, and their dedication and intentions were not always consistent. Additionally, financial difficulties were a major factor. However, instead of spreading themselves thin with scattered efforts, from 1992 Rainbow took on one task with special focus and responsibility: organizing an international-standard film festival in Dhaka. To celebrate Rainbow’s fifteenth anniversary, a film festival was held, which later became the Dhaka International Film Festival, or DIFF.
From the early days of this festival, the following individuals were involved: Justice Kemaluddin Hossain, Professor Kabir Chowdhury, Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Dr. Sufia Ahmed, Dr. Selim Jahan, Abdus Selim, Kishwar Kamal, Mofidul Hoque, Robiul Husain, Lutfe Najib Khan, K.M.R. Manzoor, M. Shafiqur Rahman, among others. Later, others joined including A.H. Mofazzal Karim, Syed Marghub Morshed, Mijarul Quayes, M. Hamid, Asaduzzaman Noor, Shahriar Z.R. Iqbal, Badal Rahman, Haider Rizvi, M Shahriar Alam, Zahid Hossain, Jalal Ahmed, Abdul Hannan, Kabir Anwar, Moshiuddin Shaker, Ali Ahmed, Dr. Najmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Chashi Nazrul Islam, M A Alamgir, Shahidul Islam Khokon, Sohanur Rahman Sohan, , Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Shyamal Dutta, Abu Saiyed, Mizanur Rahman, Samiya Zaman, Farah Kabir, Tareq Ahmed, Ishrat Khan Barsha, Bidhan Rebeiro, Boishakhi Samaddar, AKA Reza Ghalib, Sadia Khalid Reeti, and others. Many other names may have been left out, but their contributions are no less significant. If anyone’s name has been omitted, I sincerely apologize for that.
Since 1992, the festival’s director has been Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, the current president of the Rainbow Film Society. Although he had been closely associated with the society since 1977, he officially joined the committee in 1978. At that time, Mokammel Hossain also became involved.
In 1981, the founding secretary-general Mostafa Kamal enrolled at the Kiev Film Institute of the then Soviet Union for higher studies. Subsequently, Khondkar Moshiur Rahman (1981–1984) and M. Belayet Hossain (1984–1985) took turns serving as general secretary of Rainbow. Then, in 1985, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal revived the society’s activities as secretary-general.
Through his work with films in various cultural circles in Dhaka, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal became a well-known figure since the 1980s. Following this, he caught the attention of Mrs. H. Leschner, the director of the German Cultural Center Goethe-Institut in Dhaka. She arranged for Ahmed Muztaba Zamal to attend the 9th International Film Festival held in Munich.
On June 20, 1991, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal participated in the 9th International Film Festival (June 22–29, 1991) in Munich, then part of West Germany. During the festival, Muztaba Zamal had the opportunity to meet famous Indian director Adoor Gopalakrishnan, British film critic Derek Malcolm, renowned Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, and FIPRESCI General Secretary Klaus Eder.
It goes without saying that all support for his participation in the festival was provided by Mrs. H. Leschner, director of the Goethe-Institut in Dhaka, Professor Abdus Selim, Secretary of the UNESCO National Commission, and Janata Insurance Company. The Munich festival essentially served as a catalyst for starting the film festival in Dhaka.
The year after returning from Munich, in 1992, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal launched the journey of the "Dhaka Film Festival" with the country’s intellectuals and cultural figures. Filmmaker Abu Sayeed assisted in designing the poster for the first festival. The festival was held from December 26 to 31, 1992. It is worth noting that at that time the festival had not yet adopted the title "International." The opening ceremony of the first festival was inaugurated by Mohammad Nasiruddin, editor of the Sawgat newspaper.
The following year, in 1993, the Dhaka Film Festival became the Dhaka International Film Festival. That year, the renowned director Adoor Gopalakrishnan was the sole foreign guest. His presence gave the festival its international status. From this second edition onward, the festival extended to nine days. The festival that year was inaugurated by Obaidul Haque, editor of the English daily The Observer. He was also a film director and the maker of the film Dukkhe Jader Jibon Gora (Lives Built in Sorrow).
From the very beginning, the Dhaka International Film Festival started its journey carrying the slogan of the Rainbow Film Society: “Better Films, Better Audiences, Better Society.” Later, this slogan was interpreted as: Aesthetic Films, Thoughtful Viewers, Enlightened Society.
The festival’s slogan clearly reflects its commitment to showcasing thoughtful and aesthetic films beyond the conventional mainstream cinema, with the aim of cultivating refined taste among audiences and building a progressive society through this medium.
A few years after the festival started in Dhaka, in 1994, Ahmed attended the 25th Indian International Film Festival held in Kolkata (January 10–20). This event was quite significant because it was the third time he met Adoor Gopalakrishnan there, who invited him to dinner. British film critic Derek Malcolm was also present at the dinner. This dinner marked the beginning of a new chapter in Ahmed’s life.
During that evening meal, Derek Michael Malcolm advised Ahmed to start the Bangladesh chapter of the International Federation of Film Critics—FIPRESCI. He suggested keeping the organization limited to 5–7 members. Taking Malcolm’s advice to heart, Ahmed returned to Dhaka and on January 24, 1994, discussed the matter with Professor Kabir Chowdhury, Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Obaidul Haque, Abdus Selim, Santosh Gupta, and many others. This led to th e formation of the Bangladesh chapter of the International Federation of Film Critics—IFCAB. In 1995, IFCAB’s membership was officially recognized by FIPRESCI.
IFCAB has since worked closely with the Dhaka International Film Festival. Currently, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal serves as the organization’s General Secretary, and Bidhan Rebeiro holds the position of Assistant General Secretary.
The third edition of DIFF was inaugurated by National Professor Dr. Zillur Rahman, the fourth by National Professor Dr. M. Innas Ali, and in 1997, during the fifth edition, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Dhaka International Film Festival, which led to increased recognition for the festival. That year, Budhadeb Dasgupta brought his film Lal Darja (The Red Door) to Dhaka, and it was screened on the opening day. Adoor Gopalakrishnan also attended the festival that year.
Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated DIFF as Prime Minister in 2010. In 2017, during the fifteenth edition, the then President Abdul Hamid opened the festival as the chief guest. Around that time, receiving some support from the state, the Dhaka International Film Festival was able to spread its wings further.
From 1992 to 1995, the festival was held regularly every year. In the following years, the festival was held biennially, meaning every two years, from 1997 to 2016. During this period, the festival’s schedule shifted from December to January starting in 2000 because Ramadan fell in December 1999, so the festival dates were postponed to January.
From 2000 onwards, the festival introduced its first competition section. That year, the 6th edition was inaugurated by the then Information Minister Abu Sayeed. Notable guests who attended the 2000 festival in Dhaka included Aparna Sen, Budhadeb Dasgupta, Nabyendu Chatterjee, and Robin Wood.
The 7th edition in 2002 was inaugurated by Justice Habibur Rahman. The 8th edition in 2004 was opened by the then Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Riaz Rahman. The 9th edition in 2006 was inaugurated by the then Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan.
The 10th edition in 2008 was inaugurated by Gitaara Safia Chowdhury, former advisor to the caretaker government. From that year onward, film production-based workshops were introduced into the festival. The first workshop instructor was filmmaker Badal Rahman, who also served as an instructor in 2010.
In the following years, instructors such as Australian director Steve Warren and filmmaker Haider Rizvi also joined as trainers. Haider Rizvi was a workshop instructor in 2016.
Although the festival was held every two years until 2016, from 2017 onward, Bangladesh’s largest international film festival has been organized annually again. While the 2025 festival passed through some political tensions, the 2024 festival was quite vibrant. That year, world-renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi conducted a masterclass. I had the privilege of sitting face-to-face with Majid Majidi to conduct that masterclass.
At the 22nd edition of the festival, prominent stars from the subcontinent such as Sharmila Tagore were also present. Other notable attendees included Mamata Shankar, Anjan Dutta, and Swastika Mukherjee. Thanks to DIFF, I have gathered many memories with Anjan Dutta and Mamata Shankar.
The undeniable driving force behind the festival’s sustained success over such a long period is undoubtedly Ahmed Muztaba Zamal. It goes without saying that the festival has been able to continue for so many years because eminent intellectuals, journalists, politicians, and industrialists in the country have extended their support.
It is also important to mention the strong team of workers and volunteers who, through their day-and-night efforts, keep the festival constantly sailing towards success. Unlike some other countries, there is no dedicated government funding, no specific building, no film center, and no assured source of financial support. Yet, the festival continues every year with equal brilliance. The sole reason for this is the love and dedication of all those involved.
The Dhaka International Film Festival has several regular sections: Retrospective, Cinema of the World, Asian Cinema, Children’s Film, Bangladesh Panorama, Spiritual Section, Women Filmmaker Section, and Short and Independent Film Section. On average, around 200 to 250 films are screened each year across these categories.
Besides film screenings, the Dhaka International Film Festival also organizes many parallel events to make the entire occasion vibrant. For example, since 2014, the festival has hosted the International Conference on Women in Cinema as part of its program. On January 10 and 11 of that year, at the Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Hall of Dhaka University, Afghan filmmaker Sara Karimi and Portuguese actor-filmmaker Francisco Veres Machado jointly read a declaration at the two-day conference. The declaration called for elevating the status of women in cinema, opposing the patriarchal perspective in society.
The first conference on women in cinema featured participants such as Australian filmmaker Robin Hogan, Dutch director Clementine Edervin, Indonesian filmmaker Nurkurniati Aisha Dewi, Norwegian film programmer Gyda Velvin Myklebust, as well as local figures including Salimullah Khan, Mofidul Hoque, Khushi Kabir, Shamim Akhtar, Kaberi Gayen, Fouzia Khan, Samiya Zaman, and Shabnam Ferdousi.
Farah Kabir played a leading role in organizing the first conference, with Tareq Ahmed and Ishrat Khan Barsha serving as coordinators. Since 2014, this conference on women’s participation, representation, and roles in cinema has been held regularly as part of the Dhaka International Film Festival. Each year, prominent women from various fields have presented important papers and delivered speeches at this event.
Another highlight of the festival is the screenplay workshop and competition. The festival organizes a Screenplay Lab called “West Meets East” for filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers from South Asia. After receiving screenplay submissions, the best ten scripts are selected and work on them is done during the festival. Screenplay writers are invited to Dhaka, where experienced mentors guide the development of their scripts.
At the end, the top three screenplays are announced and awarded cash prizes of 500,000, 300,000, and 200,000 Bangladeshi Taka respectively for first, second, and third place. This screenplay initiative began in 2022. Since its inception, AKA Reza Ghalib and Sadia Khalid Riti have been responsible for managing it. Although this event is regularly held during the festival, it was temporarily suspended in 2025 due to financial constraints.
Besides the Screenplay Lab, another regular event of the festival—the Masterclass—started in 2023. Renowned film directors, producers, distributors, cinematographers, and film critics have shared their experiences during these masterclasses at different times.
From the beginning, this event has generated great enthusiasm and interest among young people. They participate in full-day masterclasses and get the opportunity to interact and exchange ideas with internationally active professionals. They ask their own questions and receive answers directly. Since its inception, the coordination of the masterclass has been handled by Bidhan Rebeiro.
Through a variety of events, the Dhaka International Film Festival takes shape just as a true festival should. It is true that the festival does not have the same scale as those in Europe or America — and I have explained before that the main reason is the lack of adequate sponsorship. Yet, every year, the Dhaka International Film Festival is held with great love from the people, and as a result, not only does the country’s film community benefit, but I believe the nation’s image also shines brighter.
This is because visitors from various countries who attend the festival return as ambassadors of Bangladesh. In their talks and writings, the name of this festival is repeatedly praised and highlighted.
Over more than three decades, countless guests have traveled across seas and rivers to attend the festival in Dhaka. Among the notable visitors are Iranian filmmakers Majid Majidi, Jafar Panahi, Pouran Derakhshandeh, Tahmineh Milani, Manijeh Hekmat, Rasoul Sadrameli, and Fatemeh Mir Motamedi. From Sri Lanka, Prasanna Vithanage and Somaratne Dissanayake stand out.
Among film critics, the names of Derek Malcolm from the United Kingdom and Klaus Eder from Germany are well known. From India, notable filmmakers and actors include Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Budhadeb Dasgupta, Sharmila Tagore, Aparna Sen, Mamata Shankar, Anjan Dutta, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, Rituparna Sengupta, Srilekha Mitra, and Swastika Mukherjee.
Among international film festival programmers, Sydney Levine from the USA, Hannah Fisher from Canada, Kim Jae-seok from South Korea, Gida Miklabust from Norway, and Meenakshi Shetty from India are prominent names
In Bangladesh’s cultural landscape, the Dhaka International Film Festival is an inseparable name. There is hardly any cultural figure in the country who has not been connected with this festival at some stage of their life. Many have come as audiences, and many have participated in various ways.
With each passing year, DIFF is growing in importance and expanding its influence on our film culture and cinematic discourse. This progress is possible because of the festival’s ongoing activities. We hope that this momentum will continue, and in due time, we will celebrate its centenary.