The 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) officially kicks off today, featuring a lineup of around 250 films from 74 countries, including Bangladesh. The festival, spanning nine days from January 20 to January 28, will showcase 71 films from Bangladesh. Notably, the films "Mujib: The Making of a Nation" and "Fereshteh" will be available for viewing at the festival free of charge.

The director of the film festival, Ahmed Mujtaba Jamal, announced that the opening ceremony will be graced by the presence of Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. The ceremony, scheduled to commence today at 4:00pm, will also have esteemed guests such as Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen and renowned actress Sharmila Tagore from the subcontinent. The event will be presided over by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, the chief patron of the festival.

Over the course of nine days, a comprehensive selection of 252 films representing 74 countries will be showcased across 10 distinct categories. The screenings will take place at various venues, including the National Museum, Shilpakala Academy, Alliance Française, and Foreign Service Academy Auditorium.

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Sharmila Tagore arrives in Dhaka

This year's festival promises to be star-studded, as the iconic actress Sharmila Tagore will be present in Dhaka throughout the entire event. The festival's inaugural day will feature the Bangladesh premiere of the Iranian film "Fereshteh", starring Jaya Ahsan. Individuals associated with the movie, including Jaya Ahsan herself, are anticipated to attend the screening. The film has earned a place in the Asian Competition category at the festival.

Following the screening of "Fereshteh", the Shyam Benegal directorial "Mujib" a joint production between Bangladesh and India, will be presented in the main auditorium of the National Museum. On this inaugural day, a significant presence of individuals connected to the film, including Arifin Shuvoo, is anticipated. Attendees at the festival can look forward to watching the movie alongside these industry figures.

All the festival exhibitions are open to the public for free. However, due to limited seating availability, seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, as announced by the organisers.