Dhaka international mobile film festival 2026 opens at ULAB

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival 2026 (DIMFF 2026), an outreach programme of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), officially opened with a ceremony at the ULAB permanent campus.

The festival is powered by Star Cineplex and supported by Infinix Mobile Bangladesh, reflecting its ongoing focus on promoting mobile film-making and innovative cinematic storytelling. On the first day, two screening sessions were held, featuring 15 films chosen from the 25 shortlisted for this year's festival.

DIMFF 2026 received 131 film submissions from 24 countries, highlighting the festival's growing international recognition and the expanding creative reach of mobile cinema worldwide.

The opening ceremony began with a welcome address by Din M Sumon Rahman, Professor and Head of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism at ULAB and Chief Adviser of DIMFF. In his remarks, he underscored the evolving role of mobile film-making and the importance of providing a global platform for emerging film-makers.

A video message from jury member Leon Desclozeaux was screened, in which he commended the organisers, praised the quality of the selected films and conveyed his best wishes for the festival's continued success.

The ceremony featured a keynote address by the chief guest, Tanim Noor, acclaimed for works such as 'Utshob', 'Television', 'Kaiser' and 'Live from Dhaka'. He spoke on storytelling, creative integrity and the power of cinema to inspire dialogue. A token of appreciation was presented to him by Syeda Sadia Mehjabin, Adviser to DIMFF.

The first day included Film Screening Session 1, showcasing four mobile films. The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Pantha Rahman, Co-Adviser of DIMFF.

DIMFF 2026 also hosted a panel discussion titled 'Film Distribution in Bangladesh', focusing on industry challenges, emerging platforms and future opportunities. Panellists included Raka Nowshin Nawar (independent film-maker), Mohammad Shazzad Hossain, PhD (academic), Md Shahadat Hossain Himel (marketing and sales, Star Cineplex), and Md Ali Haider (Head of Content, Bongo). The discussion was moderated by Ramjan Ali Emon.

The evening segment began with a welcome address by Syeda Sadia Mehjabin, followed by a video presentation from Zahra Nusrat, Festival Director, highlighting the journey of DIMFF 2026. A further 11 films were screened later in the day.

The opening day concluded with an address by the chief guest, Tariq Anam Khan. Reflecting on his early theatre career, he noted that cinema has never been confined to specific devices—a sentiment that aligns closely with the ethos of DIMFF. He described short films as akin to poetry, capable of conveying profound meaning within limited timeframes. A crest was presented to him by Syeda Sadia Mehjabin in recognition of his contribution to cinema. The session ended with a vote of thanks by Wadud Islam, Instructor at DIMFF.

DIMFF 2026 is powered by Star Cineplex and presented by Infinix. The Business Standard and The Daily Samakal are print and online media partners, while Dhaka Post and Ittefaq serve as online media partners. TBS Graduate is the youth engagement partner, Channel i the broadcast partner, The Castor the digital media partner and Rang Berang the magazine partner. Electronic media partners include Bangla Vision, Dhaka Journal and Masranga, while ULAB TV serves as the campus television partner. Tickmark is the event partner, with Lumiere Moments and Bevore Production as documentation partners.

The closing ceremony of DIMFF 2026 will take place at Star Cineplex, Shimanto Shombhar, Dhanmondi, at 6:00pm.