The 13th edition of India's prestigious Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) has unveiled its star-studded lineup, showcasing an impressive array of films with female directors helming over half of the featured selections. Taking place between November 7th and 10th, the festival promises to screen more than 80 cinematic delights from 28 nations across the globe.
Kicking off the festivities is Payal Kapadia's poignant masterpiece, "All We Imagine as Light," which recently secured the Grand Prix at Cannes and marks India's triumphant return to the Palme d'Or competition after a three-decade hiatus. Meanwhile, the closing night will feature Deepak Rauniyar's "Pooja, Sir," fresh from its Venice Film Festival premiere.
Among the international highlights, festival-goers can catch Errol Morris' thought-provoking "Separated" and Pedro Almodóvar's Golden Lion-winning masterpiece, "The Room Next Door." The festival has also secured Busan New Currents Award recipient "MA – Cry of Silence" by The Maw Naing, alongside "Agent of Happiness" by Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó, which topped the Biografilm 2024 charts.
Notable Indian selections include Sundance Audience Award winner "Girls Will Be Girls" by Shuchi Talati, Rima Das's critically acclaimed "Village Rockstars 2," which garnered the Busan Kim Jiseok Award, and Achal Mishra's "Chaar Phool Hain Aur Duniya Hai," set for its exclusive world premiere.
Director Dibakar Banerjee will be gracing the event with a masterclass and a screening of his unreleased film "Tees." Additionally, the festival will host an intriguing conversation between Shahana Goswami, the star of "Santosh," and programming director Bina Paul.
Nestled amidst the serene foothills of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is internationally renowned as the spiritual home of the Dalai Lama, who has resided there since his exile from Tibet in 1959. The festival directors, Ritu Sarin and Tenzing
