Entertainment · Books & Arts · 4 hrs ago
Dharamshala film festival marks 15 years of independent cinema
The Dharamshala International Film Festival is holding its 15th edition in Upper Dharamshala, India.
Filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam started the festival in 2012, when McLeod Ganj had no cinema halls and films were shown on DVDs.
They wanted local audiences to see independent films that were hard to access and meet filmmakers in person.
The four-day festival is showing 95 films from 40 countries, with Assamese filmmaker Rima Das’s Not A Hero opening the event.
DIFF has grown from about 2,000 attendees at its first edition to more than 15,000 in 2025.
The festival has no competitive sections, and programming director Bina Paul says attracting producers to premiere their films can be a challenge.
DIFF’s organizers say funding remains a recurring obstacle despite the festival’s growth.
The Dharamshala International Film Festival is marking its 15th edition in 2026.
The four-day festival is showing 95 films from 40 countries.
It began in 2012 to give local audiences access to independent films and opportunities to meet filmmakers.
The festival has grown from around 2,000 attendees at its first edition to more than 15,000 in 2025.
This year’s festival opened with Rima Das’s Assamese film Not A Hero and is set to close with Birds in the Dark.
- Who
- The Dharamshala International Film Festival, founded by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, is marking its 15th edition.
- What
- The four-day festival is showing 95 films from 40 countries.
- When
- 2026. The article says the festival’s closing film will screen “today” but does not give a specific date for that event.
- Where
- Tibetan Children’s Village in Upper Dharamshala, India.
- Why
- Its founders wanted local audiences to have access to non-mainstream independent films and to meet filmmakers.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The first Dharamshala International Film Festival took place, showing films on DVDs because McLeod Ganj had no cinema halls.
The festival drew more than 15,000 attendees.
The 15th edition opened with Rima Das’s Not A Hero and is set to close with Birds in the Dark.
- Founded
- 2012
- Edition
- 15th, in 2026
- Programme
- 95 films from 40 countries
- Venue
- Tibetan Children’s Village, Upper Dharamshala
- Attendance
- More than 15,000 in 2025
What people are saying
I love DIFF and the way it has grown over the years, so consistently and patiently, bringing some of the best films and creating a space for cinephiles and filmmakers to come together, share their love for cinema, and have conversations freely.
Most of the films this year could inspire a spark.
We just wanted to create a space for our local audiences to watch the kinds of films that we loved — non-mainstream, independent films — which were not easy to access.