The programming list is as diverse as it is exciting featuring Bhutan’s Oscar entry ‘I, The Song’ by Dechen Roder, Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning ‘Cactus Pears’.
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Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, fresh off the buzz around his latest work ‘Homebound’, India’s official entry for the Oscars 2026, has another feather in his cap. The film will open the 14th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), one of India’s most celebrated showcases of independent cinema.
This year’s DIFF will take place from October 30 to November 2 bringing together storytellers and cinema lovers from around the world in the serene mountain town of Dharamshala.
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The event will close with Anuparna Roy’s internationally acclaimed film ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’ which earlier won a major prize at the Venice Film Festival, according to ‘Variety’.
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This year’s edition will continue DIFF’s partnership with the Sydney Film Festival welcoming Australian filmmakers Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese with their quirky queer sci-fi ‘Lesbian Space Princess’ along with Gabrielle Brady’s ‘The Wolves Always Come at Night’, Australia’s Oscar submission.
The programming list is as diverse as it is exciting featuring Bhutan’s Oscar entry ‘I, The Song’ by Dechen Roder, Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning ‘Cactus Pears’, and Rich Peppiatt’s Irish-language film ‘Kneecap’. Documentary lovers will get to see Raoul Peck’s much-anticipated ‘Orwell 2+2=5’.
Also on the lineup are Carla Simon’s Spanish feature ‘Romeria’, Hlynur Palmason’s Cannes entry ‘The Love That Remains’, and Tannishtha Chatterjee’s ‘Full Plate’, which made its debut at Busan and stars Kirti Kulhari and Sharib Hashmi.
The festival isn’t just about watching films. It’s also a space for learning and creative exchange. Kiran Rao will lead a masterclass on filmmaking, while veteran actor Adil Hussain will conduct a session for performers on how to bring emotional truth to their characters across different cultural landscapes.
In a joint statement, DIFF founders Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam reflected on the festival’s journey.
“We never set out to become one of the most prominent independent festivals in the country. We just believed that meaningful cinema deserved a home in the mountains,” they said. “DIFF has grown organically, not through flash or hype, but through the passion of filmmakers, the trust of our audiences, and the community that returns every year.”
Programming Director Bina Paul has curated a special presentation by Andrey A Tarkovsky, son of the legendary Russian filmmaker Andrey Tarkovsky. He will personally present his documentary ‘Andrey Tarkovsky: A Cinema Prayer’ which includes rare archival footage and reflections on his father’s iconic work.
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