As Dharamshala International Film Festival returns, a reminder of why small is beautiful
Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ is the inaugural film for the 13th edition.
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The 13th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival in McLeod Ganj is a reminder of how precious and precarious such events are. In a country in which a film festival is often the only way to access the latest international cinema, DIFF has stayed on course by opting for selective rather than expansive curation and keeping its ambitions in check.
Founded by the filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam in 2012, DIFF has built up a loyal following beyond McLeod Ganj for eclectic fare that includes Indian arthouse cinema.
“The festival has retained independence because it’s not a slave to funds,” pointed out DIFF’s Artistic Director Bina Paul. “You’re never happy with what you have – it means that you sometimes let go of films or have to restrict the travel of filmmakers. But the bigger a festival becomes, the more bound it is to various agencies. I’m quite impressed by the way they [Sarin and Sonam] have kept the event going by building relationships.”
This year, DIFF will roll out 80 titles across long and short formats between November 7 and 10. Payal Kapadia’s Cannes-decorated All We Imagine As Light will inaugurate DIFF ahead of is theatrical release on November 22. The line-up includes Sandhya Suri’s police procedural Santosh, Shuchi...
