The 22nd edition of Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) began on Saturday, with the slogan “Better Film, Better Audience, Better Society”.

Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali inaugurated the festival as the chief guest at the main auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum at 4pm. Eminent Indian actress Sharmila Tagore joined the inaugural ceremony as the special guest with chief patron of the festival, Shahriar Alam MP in the chair.

This year’s festival opened with the Iran-Bangladesh joint production ‘Fereshteh’ starring acclaimed actress Jaya Ahsan and directed by Morteza Atashzamzam, under the Wide Angle Film Poster Exhibition section.

The inaugural session will also showcased the Shyam Benegal-directed ‘Mujib: The Making of a Nation’ at 7:00pm, under the Bangladesh Panorama category.

 A total of 252 films from 74 countries are being screened in various sections, including Asian Cinema, Retrospective, Tribute, Wide Angle, Bangladesh Panorama, Cinema of the World, Children Films, Women Filmmakers, Short and Independent Films, and Spiritual Films at the festival.

71 Bangladeshi films including 12 full-length feature films are also being showcased at the event.

 Moviegoers will be welcomed at different venues of the 22nd edition of this annual film festival, including the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib auditorium (main auditorium) and Poet Sufia Kamal auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum, National Art Gallery auditorium and National Music and Dance auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Academy auditorium and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital.

Like previous editions, the “West Meets East: Screenwriting Competition”, an interactive four-day seminar and workshop for filmmakers, will be held at the Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) from 23-26 January.

Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni will inaugurate the Wide Angle section of the 22nd DIFF tomorrow at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum, which will be joined by the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Deputy Chair of Shanghai Film Association and distinguished film scholar Dr Shi Chuan as the special guests.

Apart from this, there will be a masterclass for the second time in the festival which will be held throughout the day on 27 January at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum.

 The “10th International Women Filmmakers Conference” on the role of women in films will be held on the 3rd floor of the Samson Lounge, Dhaka Club, today and tomorrow.  Eminent Indian actress and the esteemed guest of this year’s festival Sharmila Tagore will formally inaugurate the conference at 9:30am.

The nine-day international film festival will conclude on 28 January.