Dharamsala film festival Nov 2-5

Shimla : The sixth Dharamsala International Film Festival (DIFF) will take place from 2 to 5 Nov 2017 in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

This year’s line-up includes two award-winning documentaries—Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson (USA, 2016), Rahul Jain’s Machines (India, 2016) which screened at 10 international film festivals, and won the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Cinematography at 2017’s Sundance Film Festival.

There will be a special screening of the critically acclaimed A Death in the Gunj, presented in person by director Konkona Sen Sharma.

DIFF 2017 will also feature the Indian premiere of Out of This World (USA), a newly restored version of journalist and writer Lowell Thomas’ fascinating account of his travels to Tibet in 1949 (originally released in 1954).

This year’s feature films include Dain Said’s Interchange (Malaysia, 2016), Yaniv Berman’s Land of the Little People (Israel, 2016), Dechen Roder’s Honeygiver Among the Dogs (Bhutan, 2016), Yoshinori Sato’s Her Mother (Japan), Mano Khalil’s The Swallow (Switzerland), Karma Takapa’s Ralang Road, which premiered at this year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival (an Indian film to be selected at the fest after 13 years), Deepak Rauniyar’s Oscar entry from Nepal, White Sun which premiered at 73rd Venice Film Festival and won Interfilm Award and new voices/new visions grand jury prize at the Palm Springs festival.

DIFF continues its tradition of showcasing experimental films by presenting the South Asia premieres of three features by well-known artists and filmmakers: Amar Kanwar’s Such a Morning (India), and Naeem Mohaiemen’s Tripoli Cancelled (Bangladesh), both of which premiered this year at Documenta 14; and Singapore filmmaker Tan Pin

Pin’s In Time to Come, which had its world premiere at Visions du Reel and was in competition at Hot Docs and Sheffield Doc Fest.

DIFF 2017 registrations are now open and passes can be bought online on Book My Show – https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/dharamshala- international-film-festival-2017/ET00061905

DIFF is presented by White Crane Arts & Media, a trust founded by veteran filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam to promote contemporary cinema, art and independent media practices in the Himalayan regions of India.

This year’s festival is once again supported by its long-term partners, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, and the Government of Himachal Pradesh through its departments of Tourism, and Language, Arts, and Culture.

The first edition of DIFF was held in 2012. Since then, it has become established as one of India’s leading independent film festivals.
This year’s shorts selection is curated by filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni, whilst our Children’s Film Programme is curated by children’s media specialist Monica Wahi.

Many Indian and International directorswill attend DIFF 2017 to present their work and participate in Q&A sessions.
The festival will also continue its DIFF Film Fellows Programme, which was first set up in 2014 to enable budding filmmakers from the Indian Himalayan regions to participate in mentorship sessions with established filmmakers.

For the second consecutive year, DIFF will be hosted by the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV)—a beautiful, sprawling venue, 15 minutes’ drive from McLeod Ganj. Festival films will be screened in TCV’s two auditoriums, with all other events—including masterclasses, panel discussions, workshops and a pop-up market—located within walking distance.