NEW DELHI: Twenty-four out of 45 films to be screened at the 13th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) are directed by female filmmakers, says festival co-founder Ritu Sarin, who believes its essential to celebrate the voices of women in cinema.The gala, which will run through November 7-10 in Dharamshala, will present more than 80 films from over 28 countries around the world, spanning narrative features, documentaries, and short films, alongside powerful stories from South Asia.Cannes Grand Prix winning-film “All We Imagine As Light”, directed by Payal Kapadia, will open the festival.”I am incredibly proud to see such a strong representation of women in this year’s festival, with 24 out of 45 feature films being directed by women 13 of them by Indian filmmakers along with 19 short and mid-length films directed by women.”As a filmmaker myself, I believe it’s essential to uplift and celebrate the voices of women in cinema.Their stories are vital, and this year’s lineup is a testament to the creativity and talent within our community,” Sarin said in a statement.This year’s festival will also feature special programmes, including panel discussions, Q&A sessions and masterclasses with national and international filmmakers.Director Dibakar Banerjee, whose unreleased film “Tees” will be screened at the festival, will also conduct a masterclass at DIFF.DIFF co-founder Tenzing Sonam said the gala has always been about more than just watching films.”It’s a space for filmmakers and audiences to engage deeply with cinema and the stories that shape our world,” Sonam added.Another highlight at the gala would be a conversation between actor Shahana Goswami and DIFF programming director Bina Paul.Some of the movies which are part of the line-up are: “Separated”, “The Room Next Door”, “MA Cry of Silence”, “Agent of Happiness”, “Second Chance”, “Girls Will Be Girls”, “Marching in the Dark”, “Nocturnes”, “A Fly on the Wall”, and “Village Rockstars 2″.Continuing their collaboration with the festival, the Film Critics Guild (FCG) will present the juried Gender Sensitivity Award, established in 2019 to honour filmmakers addressing gender issues and to promote discourse around gender equality in cinema.DIFF, with the support of PictureTime, the festival’s technical partners, will run a full programme of films across four theatres two auditoriums on site and two of PictureTime’s patented portable digital theatres.In addition, DIFF Online will enable audiences worldwide to access a curated selection of films remotely, after the physical festival.”Pooja, Sir” by Deepak Rauniyar will bring down the curtain on DIFF 2024.
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