The 17th Bangladesh International Short and Independent Film Festival is being organised this year by the Bangladesh Short Film Forum, featuring 276 films from over 100 countries. The event is scheduled to run from December 20 to 27.

According to a press release shared with local media from the organisers, the festival will be inaugurated by Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology on Friday at 4pm at the main auditorium of the National Museum in Shahbagh. 

President Zahirul Islam of the Bangladesh Short Film Forum stated that photographer Nasir Ali Mamun will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest. Also attending as a special guest will be the fiction writer and managing director of City Bank, Mashrur Arefin.

This year's festival is dedicated to the martyrs of the July-August uprisings and marks the centenary of artiste S M Sultan's birth. 

The film "The Dream, The Fight, The Victory", based on the July-August uprisings, will be screened on December 23. Additionally, multiple sessions will be held, featuring individuals such as Nurul Rashed Chowdhury, Zahirul Islam, Rafiqul Anwar, Tareq Ahmed, and Naeem Mohaiemen, among others.

Moreover, Palestine has been chosen as the country in focus this year. On December 25, from 3pm to 5pm, eight Palestinian fiction films will be screened at the Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum.

The Regional Focus will highlight Arab countries. On December 26, nine fiction films and one documentary will be screened at the National Museum's Cineplex Auditorium, from 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm.

The closing and award ceremony will take place on December 27 at 5pm in the main auditorium of the National Museum. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, adviser to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, will attend as the chief guest. 

The special guests will include artiste Wakilur Rahman and Ashanur Rahman, City Bank's chief economist and Country Business Manager.

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Syed Imran Hussain Kirmany is set to serve as the festival director.