University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) has successfully hosted the 11th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) 2025 powered by Star Cineplex. The two-day festival kicked off on February 22 with the opening ceremony and screening. Among 117 films from 28 countries, 27 films have been selected in four categories. The theme of the 11th DIMFF 2025 was "Ektara".

The festival started with the opening speech by Dr Sumon Rahman, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Head of Media Studies and Journalism and Founding Editor of FactWatch, at the ULAB Research Building Auditorium in Dhanmondi. Later, the Chief Guest, Gias Uddin Selim, presented crests to the jury members. 

The jury board consisted of two groups. The "Open Door" and "Vertical" film categories were judged by Taneem Rahman Angshu, a renowned Bangladeshi filmmaker. On the other side, Hollywood's renowned Director and Writer Richard Greenwood JR judged the "One Minute" and "Short Film" categorised films. 

27 films were selected in the Open Door, Vertical Film, One Minutes, and Short Film categories.

In the Open Door category, Lulu in Turin by Ian Chales Lister, Demon Dog by Juliana Purnell, Hope by Arshia Zeinali, The Red Market by Christopher Matthew Spencer,  Whispers of Despair by Iftian Ahmed Akib, and Message by Saeed Moltaji were selected. 

The Interview by Michael James Parks, UPLOAD by Adam George, Sundari—A Lost Soul by Zeeshan J, A Short: Journey by Md Rahatud Zaman Ranggon, and Limbus by M C Jonett was selected in the Vertical Films Category. 

In the One-Minute film category, In Front of Me by Md. Rakibul Hosan Razon, and Way Out by Khoirom Anik were selected. 

In the Short Film Category, The Sky by Chayan Adhikary, Wandering Minds & Lost Lessons by Abeer Bhaskar, See Through Their Eyes by Mahfuzur Rahman, 10 Minutes In A Week by Abir Ferdous Ayon, Cuchrocha by Anita Serrano, Eggshell by Golam Shafin Mahmud and Ropan Khan, Beyond The Wall by Vijayraj Dilip Umap, The Stateless by Nayamul Haque Asib, Marvin & Ophelia by Micheal Emmanuel Makhoba, Speedcubing Ain't My Thing by Ruhani Mahmud Monon Goni, A Decision by Musfiqur Rahman, Nira by Md Joni Hossain, Momentum by Md Ishrak Bhuyan, and Eye's on by Neamutul Islam Shanto, were selected for screening. 

Massage by Iranian film-maker Saeed Moltaji won the DIMFF Best Film Award in the Open Door Category. US filmmaker M C Jonet took the top spot in the Vertical Film category with his film Limbus and won the DIMFF Best Vertical Film Award. Koirom Anik, a young Bangladeshi filmmaker, won ULAB Young Filmmaker Award with Way Out in the One Minute Film category. Wandering Minds & Lost Lessons by Abeer Baskar from the US won the Cinemascope Best Film Award in the Short Film category. 

By UNHCR support, the 11th DIMFF had a special category – Forced to Flee – which was created with the goal of enabling aspiring filmmakers to create gripping stories on refugee resiliency and displacement. The Stateless by Nayamul Haque Asib, a Bangladeshi student from Daffodil International University, topped this category, winning the UNHCR Best Film Award.

Nazrul Islam Mozumder is a Campus Ambassador for The Daily Star from University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).