12th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) 2023 Line-Up Announced

DIFF 2023 Lineup: The 12th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) is here, and everyone is very excited about it. It promises to be an entertainment event like no other. A wide range of great independent films from India and around the world will be shown at the festival this year. There are 92 films from over 40 countries in the DIFF 2023 list. There are 31 feature films, 21 feature documentaries, and 40 short films. It looks like it will be a wonderful journey through the world of movies.

12th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) Venue

For its 12th edition, DIFF moves to the Tibetan Children’s Village in Upper Dharamshala, allowing for four screens and an extended program. The on-ground edition of DIFF 2023 is scheduled to run from 4 to 7 November. A digital edition will be available online from 8 to 14 November for those unable to attend in person, featuring a selection of films permitted for online screenings.

“This year, for the first time since we started the festival in 2012, we decided to step back from actively doing the programming ourselves. We were very fortunate that Bina Paul, an old friend and the former Artistic Director of the International Film Festival of Kerala, was happy to come on board as the Director of Programming. Bina and her team, along with ourselves, made the final selections after in-depth viewings and many discussions. The criteria, as always, is to showcase the best of independent cinema from India and around the world. We are thrilled with the final selection and can promise our audiences that they are in for a cinematic feast!” stated the festival directors, Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam.

Delegate Passes are available for sale on the DIFF website.

Who is attending the DIFF 2023?

Indian celebrities:

• Roshan Matthew
• Darshana Rajendran

Indian filmmakers:

Pa.Ranjith

Dhinakaran Sivalingam

Varun Grover

Nishtha Jain

Sreemoyee Singh

Anand Patwardhan

Devashish Makhija

Don Palathara

Dominic Sangma

Jayant Digambar Somalkar

Harshad Nalawade

International filmmakers:

• Prasanna Vithanage (Sri Lanka)
• Sepideh Farsi (France)
• Clara Kraft Isono (UK)
• Rajan Kathet (Nepal)

Opening Night: Varun Grover’s All India Rank

The festival’s Opening Night film, “All India Rank,” is the debut feature by Varun Grover. This is a momentous occasion for Grover, and festival-goers will have the unique opportunity to witness the film firsthand. It sets the stage for an exciting start to the 12th edition of DIFF.

Closing Night: Devashish Makhija’s Joram

The Closing Night of the festival will feature “Joram” by Devashish Makhija. A thought-provoking and impactful film, “Joram” promises to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Both Varun Grover and Devashish Makhija will be in attendance to present their films, providing a chance for film enthusiasts to interact with the creative minds behind the works.

Engaging Discussions and Masterclasses with Renowned Figures

Not only will DIFF 2023 show movies, but it will also be a place for interesting conversations and workshops. Renowned Tamil filmmaker Pa. Ranjith and Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga will lead these classes. People who go will have a special chance to learn about the film industry from the best in the business and hear about their own experiences.

Honoring Navroze Contractor

In memory of Navroze Contractor, a cinematographer and a key figure in Indian cinema, the festival will host a special screening of Deepa Dhanraj’s “Something Like a War.” This heartfelt tribute ensures that Contractor’s contribution to Indian cinema is not forgotten.

A Glimpse of Indian Cinema

DIFF 2023 offers a unique platform to showcase the best of Indian cinema. Some Indian highlights include the World Premiere of “Bottle Radha” (India, 2023), produced by Pa. Ranjith and directed by Dhinakaran Sivalingam; “A Match (Sthal)” (India, 2023) by Jayant Digambar Somalkar; “Family” (India, 2023) by Don Palathara; and many more captivating films. These films encapsulate the diversity and talent of the Indian film industry.

International Premieres at DIFF 2023

Apart from Indian films, DIFF 2023 also hosts premieres of acclaimed international features. The lineup includes the Asia premiere of “Songs of Earth” (Norway, 2023) by Margreth Olin, the South Asia premiere of “Call Me Dancer” (India, USA, Israel, UK, 2023), and the India Premieres of several exceptional films from around the world.

Complete DIFF 2023 Line-up

Feature narratives and documentaries: 

1. Afire | Roter Himmel (Germany, 103 mins, 2023, Dir: Christian Petzold) 
2. Against The Tide (India, France, 97 mins, 2023, Dir: Sarvnik Kaur) 
3. All India Rank (India, 94 mins, 2023, Dir: Varun Grover) 
4. Amar Colony (India, 75 mins, 2022, Dir: Siddharth Chauhan) 
5. And, Towards Happy Alleys | Be Kucheye Khoshbakht (India, 75 mins, 2023, Dir: Sreemoyee Singh) 
6. Angela Davis: A World Of Greater Freedom (Portugal, 77 mins, 2023, Dir:Manthia Diawara) 7. Autobiography (Indonesia, France, Singapore, Poland, Philippines, Germany, Qatar, 115 mins, | 2022, Dir: Makbul Mubarak) 
7. Bawa’s Garden (UK, Sri Lanka, 89 mins, 2022, Dir: Clara Kraft Isono) 
8. The Blue Caftan | Le Bleu Du Caftan (France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark, 122 mins, 2022, Dir: Maryam Touzani) 
9. Bottle Radha | Pāṭṭal Rātā (India, 149 mins, 2023, Dir: Dhinakaran Sivalingam) 11. Brothers | Bratya (Kazakhstan, 100 mins, 2022, Dir: Darkhan Tulegenov) 
10. The Buriti Flower | Crowrã (Brazil, Portugal, 124 mins, 2023, Dir: João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora) 
11. Call Me Dancer (India, USA, Israel, UK, 84 mins, 2023, Dir: Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour) 14. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Now & Then (India, 111 mins, 2023, Dir: Jyoti Nisha) 
12. Fallen Leaves | Kuolleet Lehdet (Finland, Germany, 81 mins, 2023, Dir: Aki Kaurismäki) 16. Family (India, 111 mins, 2023, Dir: Don Palathara) 
13. Follower (India, 100 mins, 2023, Dir: Harshad Nalawade) 
14. Frybread Face And Me (USA, 83 mins, 2023, Dir: Billy Luther) 
15. The Golden Thread | Paat Katha (Bosnia And Herzegovina, India, Netherlands, Norway, Uk, 86 mins, 2022, Dir: Nishtha Jain) 
16. Guras (India, Nepal, 114 mins, 2023, Dir: Saurav Rai) 
17. A Holy Family | Shén Rén Zhī Jiā (Taiwan, France, 88 mins, 2022, Dir: Elvis A-Liang Lu) 22. I Am Sirat (Canada, 87 mins, 2023, Dir: Deepa Mehta, Sirat Taneja) 
18. In Our Day (South Korea, 84 mins, 2023, Dir: Hong Sangsoo) 
19. Innocence (Denmark, Israel, Finland, Iceland, 100 mins, 2022, Dir: Guy Davidi)
20. Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell | Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Vietnam, Singapore, France, Spain, 178 mins, 2023, Dir: Thien An Pham) 
21. Joram (India, 138 mins, 2022, Dir: Devashish Makhija) 
22. Kummatty | The Bogeyman (India, 90 mins, 1979, Dir: Aravindan Govindan) 28. The Lotus And The Swan (India, 71 mins, 2023 , Dir: Nirmal Chander) 
23. Mami Wata (Nigeria, 107 mins, 2022, Dir: C.J. “Fiery” Obasi) 
24. A Match | Sthal (India, 104 mins, 2023, Dir: Jayant Digambar Somalkar) 
25. The Mother Of All Lies | Kadib Abyad (Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, 97 mins, 2023, Dir: Asmae El Moudir ) 
26. My Imaginary Country | Mi País Imaginario (Chile, France, 83 mins, 2022, Dir: Patricio Guzmán) 
27. The New Boy (Australia, 116 mins, 2023, Dir: Warwick Thornton) 
28. No Winter Holidays | Dhōrapāṭana (Nepal, 79 mins, 2023, Dir: Rajan Kathet And Sunir Pandey) 35. Our Film | Mhara Pichchar (India, United Kingdom, 49 mins, 2023, Dir: Dakxin Chhara) 36. Paradise (India, Sri Lanka, 93 mins, 2023, Dir: Prasanna Vithanage) 
29. Perfect Days (Japan, 124 mins, 2023, Dir: Wim Wenders) 
30. Rapture | Rimdogittanga (India, 127 mins, 2023, Dir: Dominic Megam Sangma) 39. Ri (India, 95 mins, 2023, Dir: Achal Mishra) 
31. The Siren | La Sirène (France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, 99 mins, 2023, Dir: Sepideh Farsi) 
32. Something Like a War (India, 52 mins, 1991, Dir: Deepa Dhanraj) 
33. Songs Of Earth | Fedrelandet (Norway, 90 mins, 2023, Dir: Margreth Olin) 43. Sultana’s Dream | El Sueño De La Sultana (Germany, Spain, 80 mins, 2023, Dir: Isabel Herguera) 44. Terrestrial Verses | Ayeh Haye Zamini (Iran, 78 mins, 2023, Dir: Alireza Khatami, Ali Asgari) 45. Theatre Of Violence (Denmark, Germany, 104 mins, 2023, Dir: Emil Langballe And Lukasz Konopa) 
34. Tora’s Husband (India, 2022, 122 mins, Dir: Rima Das) 
35. Which Colour? | Kayo Kayo Colour? (India, 96 mins, 2023, Dir: Shahrukhkhan Chavada) 48. While The Green Grass Grows (Switzerland, Canada, 166 mins, 2023, Dir: Peter Mettler) 49. While We Watched | Namaskar Main Ravish Kumar (India, United Kingdom, 94 mins, 2022, Dir: Vinay Shukla) 
36. The Winter Within | Maagh (India, France, Qatar, 99 mins, 2022, Dir: Aamir Bashir) 51. The World Is Family | Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (India, 96 mins, 2023, Dir: Anand Patwardhan) 52. World War III | Jang-e jahani sevom (Iran, 52 mins, 2022, Dir: Houman Seyedi ) 

Shorts: 

1. Birdsong (United Kingdom, Laos, 17 mins, 2022, Dir: Omi Zola Gupta, Sparsh Ahuja) 2. Chadariya (India, 25 mins, 2022, Dir: Nimisha Srivastava) 
2. Clement Town (Taiwan, 22 mins, 2023, Dir: Li Kuei-Pi) 
3. Coming To Terms/ Making Your Terms? | Kyaa Hai Ye Samjhauta (India, 9 mins, 2023, Dir: Hansa Thapliyal) 
4. A Day That Year | Mǒu Tiān, Nà Nián (Singapore, Taiwan, 9 mins, 2022, Dir: Stanley Xu)
5. The Discoverer Of The Discoverers (Norway, 25 mins, 2022, Dir: C.S. Nicholson) 7. Dreams Awaken | Jaagte Khwab (India, 19 mins, 2022, Dir: Aprajita Gupta) 8. A Flight Of The Lost Dreamy Bird | Hare Patte Ke Rang Ki Patrangi Aur Kahin Kho Gaya Naam Ka Ladka (India, 13 mins, 2023, Dir: Chaman Ramesh Kishan) 
6. Hello Guyzz! (India, 24 mins, 2023, Dir: Samiksha Mathur) 
7. In Between Us (Humare Beech Mein) (India, 35 mins, 2023, Dir: Rajkumari Prajapati And Ruchika Negi) 
8. Kulfi (India, 30 mins, 2023, Dir: Kiran Narayan Dhamale) 
9. Last Days Of Summer (India, France, 15 mins, 2023, Dir: Stenzin Tankyong) 13. A Lullaby For Yellow Roses (India, 18 mins, 2023, Dir: Rahul Roye) 
10. Malwa Khushan (India, 20 mins, 2023, Dir: Preeti Kanungo, Sourav Yadav) 15. The Missing Cow (India, 15 mins, 2022, Dir: Bhaskar Hazarika) 
11. Moonless | Chandraheen (India, 24 mins, 2023, Dir: Adheep Das) 
12. Monographs 2023 | Seven short film essays commissioned by Asian Film Archive 18. Morchang (India, 24 mins, 2023, Dir: Chandradeep Singh Rathore) 
13. Mountain Man | Gangri Gi Min (Bhutan, 22 mins, 2022, Dir: Arun Bhatarai) 20. Nocturnal Burger | Nischachar Burger (India, Usa, 28 mins, 2023, Dir: Reema Maya) 21. The Old, The New And The Other (South Korea, 15 mins, 2022, Dir: Sébastien Simon) 22. Out Beyond (Pakistan, Usa, 5 mins, 2023, Dir: Salman Alam Khan) 
14. The Poplar Trees (Nepal, Maldives, 9 mins, 2023, Dir: Manoj Kumar Pant) 24. Regard Silence | Mira El Silencio (México, 29 mins, 2022, Dir: Santiago Zermeño) 25. Roads | Sadak (India, 22 mins, 2022, Dir: Daanish Shastri) 
15. The Scorpion | Vinchu (India, 17 mins, 2022, Dir: Sumedh Natu) 
16. Shabnam (Bangladesh, United Kingdom, 22 mins, 2022, Dir: Reetu Sattar) 28. A Shelter | Gotho (India, 12 mins, 2023, Dir: Sainath S. Uskaikar) 
17. Shera (India, 20 mins, 2023, Dir: Arun Fulara) 
18. Silent Walls (Bhutan, 20 mins, 2023, Dir: Suraj Bhattarai) 
19. The Song (United Kingdom, 22 mins, 2022, Dir: Bani Abidi) 
20. Stay Quiet | Chupi Roh (India, 16 mins, 2023, Dir: Disha Bhardwaj) 
21. Tam-bram Cooking (India, 9 mins, 2023, Dir: Sraiyanti H And Prem Akkattu) 34. Things Unheard Of | Serpêhatiyên Neqewimî (Turkey, 16 mins, 2023, Dir: Ramazan Kılıç) 35. Think Something Nice (Switzerland, 6 mins, 2022, Dir: Claudius Gentinetta) 36. This Is TMI (India, 7 mins, 2023, Dir: Subarna Dash And Vidushi Gupta) 37. Under One Roof | Sous Un Même Toit (China, France, 20 mins, 2023, Dir: Yu Wang) 38. When The Earth Rusted (India, 17 mins, 2023, Dir: Duttatreya Dey) 
22. Windhorse (Nepal, 10 mins, 2023, Dir: Sunil Gurung) 
23. Yellow | Rang-E-Zard (Afghanistan, Uk, 12 mins, 2023, Dir: Elham Ehsas)