Experience Cinema At 1,400 Ft With the Dharamshala International Film Festival 2023!

Picture yourself sitting at an elevation of 1,400 ft, surrounded by chilly winds and mountain backdrops along with a hot cup of chai and a brilliant list of films to view from all around the world. The Dharamshala International Film Festival brings forth this unconventional experience in the cosmopolitan mountain town, home to the notable Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community. 

Venue & Dates

Venue: The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts
Dates: 4th November 2023 to 7th of November 2023

Tickets 

Where to book: www.insider.in
Ticket prices: From INR 750 to INR 10,000

A Line-Up of Indian & International Films 

The 2019 edition features a list of exciting films away from commercial cinema. Here's what you will be viewing at the Dharamshala International Film Festival: 

Films from the National section include:

• Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu, a film from Kerala. 
• Gurvinder Singh’s Khanaur - Shot in Bir. 
• Edward Watts and Waad Al-Khattab's -  'For Sama'. A documentary focusing on the Syrian conflict, For Sama also made its way to the Mumbai Film Festival. 

The International section comprises of films from the following regions: 

• Macedonia: Teona Strugar Mitevska’s God Exists, and Her Name Is Petrunya. 
• Cambodia: Kavich Neang’s Last Night I Saw You Smiling. 
• Iran: Ali Jaberansari’s Tehran: City Of Love
• Palestine: Bassam Jarbawi’s Mafak

Submissions include the following films: 

• Jallikattu - The film was showcased in the Toronto International Film Festival. 
• Khanaur- This film travelled to the Busan International Film Festival. 
• Prateek Vats’ idiosyncratic -  Eeb Allay Ooo! A winner of the 2019 India Golden Gateway Award, and Mumbai Film Festival’s top prize. 
• Gitanjali Rao’s animated feature -  Bombay Rose (A winner of the 2019 India Gold Silver Gateway Award)  
• Kislay’s - 'Aise Hee', a sensitive drama. 

The Ideators Behind DIFF

Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, Dharamshala residents and film-makers introduced this idea back in 2012 as they imagined their home town to be a perfect destination for a boutique festival. 

Sarin said, “having been to so many festivals, we knew how important space like this could be for nurturing Indie cinema." He added: “also, Dharamshala is a place with people from so many communities from across India and the world—we thought about them as our key audience. But we didn’t expect people to be coming from all over to attend."

On talking about the films being showcased in the festival, he said “we are not looking for a particular focus area. Films that are important and kind of move people—that’s what we want."

Festival Highlights

The festival much like before is going to offer a captivating film viewing experience and a dozen titles. Like previous years, it continues to throw light on nonfiction and personal stories, but it also provides a few exceptions. 

• Visitors to the festival can grab the opportunity to meet directors and film professionals.
• For the first time, the festival has been open to inviting submissions. 
• Actor Adil Hussain, who was there in 2017 with Mukti Bhawan, will be conducting an acting workshop. 
• There will be a list of workshops held by Swiss video artist and director Samuel Weniger, on the creative potential of images in both non-fiction and essay films. 
• Japanese director Kazuhiro Soda, whose Inland Sea is set to be viewed, will also conduct a workshop and deliver a talk on the observational documentary.

On Funds 

Sarin, regarding gathering funds for the Dharamshala International Film Festival said: “Sadly, it hasn’t become easier over the years. Funders can’t stay with you forever, so there isn’t one big one. The government has pitched in over the years, but it’s quite challenging." 

So here's the perfect opportunity to revel in a getaway to the mighty hills in Dharamshala as well as enjoy cinema over the weekend. Like always, the festival will not fail to impress the audience, and with workshops, it is sure to grip its visitors. 

Are you heading to the Dharamshala International Film Festival? Have you visited the previous editions? Share your experience in the comments below!