The Guwahati Asian Film Festival 2026 opens on January 22 at Jyoti Chitraban, showcasing 26 films from 10 Asian countries and India. The four-day festival will feature premieres, regional cinema, masterclasses, and interactive sessions with filmmakers.
Image: Guwahati Asian Film Festival 2025
Guwahati is about to become the hottest spot for cinema lovers as the second edition of the Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF 2026) kicks off on January 22 at Jyoti Chitraban.
Over the next four days, cinephiles can expect a lineup of 26 films from 10 Asian countries, plus a showcase of India’s own diverse cinematic voices.
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The festival rolls out its red carpet with ‘Sunday’, a feature from Uzbekistan directed by Shokir Kholikov, as the official opening film.
Japanese film buffs will get their treat with ‘S’, directed by Masahiro Ota, making its India premiere at the festival.
And if you’re craving homegrown talent, ‘An Evening Ballad’ by Bishal Swargiary in the Bodo language will also be screened on the opening day.
The festival is being hosted by Trending Now Media, with support from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
“After the incredible response to our first edition, we wanted to go bigger,” said Monita Borgohain, Honorary Festival Director of GAFF. “GAFF 2026 celebrates Asian cinema in all its diversity and brings more international filmmakers to Guwahati than ever before.”
And big it is. Over 200 films were submitted for consideration, including 90 from outside India. The final selection of 26 films spans Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Iran, Kazakhstan, and China.
GAFF 2026 is also about meeting the voices behind films. The Asian Cinema section will feature works by acclaimed filmmakers from across the continent:
‘MA Cry of Silence’ – Myanmar, Dir. The Maw Naing
‘In the Land of Brothers’ – Iran, Dir. Alireza Ghasemi & Raha Amirfazli
‘If Only I Could Hibernate’ – Mongolia, Dir. Zoljargal Purevdash
‘Culi Never Cries’ – Vietnam, Dir. Pham Ngoc Lan
‘The Shore of Life’ – China, Dir. Zhang Chi
‘A Poet of the River’ – South Korea, Dir. Jungkook Han
‘Cadet’ – Kazakhstan, Dir. Adilkhan Yerzhanov
‘Let’s Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai’ – Hong Kong, Dir. Brian Hung
Of course, GAFF 2026 wouldn’t be complete without a celebration of India’s linguistic and cinematic diversity. Films will be screened in languages ranging from Marathi, Bajjika, Malayalam, Hindi, Tulu, Nepali, Assamese, Karbi, Bodo, Mishing, Manipuri, to Bengali.
‘Aājoor’ – Bajjika, Dir. Aaryan Chandra Prakash
‘Chewing Gum’ – Hindi, Dir. Abhay Sharma
‘Rador Pakhi (The Morning Sunshine)’ – Assamese, Dir. Dr. Bobby Sarma Baruah
‘Noi Kotha (River Tales)’ – Assamese, Dir. Dr. Pankaj Borah
‘Kangbo A Loti (The Lost Path)’ – Karbi, Dir. Khanjan Kishore Nath
‘Victoria’ – Malayalam, Dir. Sivaranjini
‘Shape of Momo’ – Nepali, Dir. Tribeny Rai
‘Imbu’ – Tulu, Dir. Shiva Dhwaj Shetty
Meanwhile, the non-competition Indian showcase features equally intriguing films:
‘Yakasik Omédé (Yakasi’s Daughter)’ – Mising, Dir. Dr. Jayanta Madhab Dutta
‘Ganaraag’ – Assamese, Dir. Dip Bhuyan
‘An Evening Ballad’ – Bodo, Dir. Bishal Swargiary
‘Porobasi (The Ethnic Migration)’ – Bengali, Dir. Monet Roy Saha
‘Blossoming Almond’ – Marathi, Dir. Nehal S. Ghodke
‘Gos Kota Manuh (The Woodcutter)’ – Assamese, Dir. Prakash Deka
Audiences can also look forward to masterclasses, panel discussions, and interactive sessions with filmmakers, critics, and industry professionals from India and across Asia.
So mark your calendars for January 22-25 and get ready to travel across Asia and India without leaving Guwahati.
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