DIFF 2024 highlights bold narratives and pressing global themes with its selection of films. The 13th edition of the independent film festival will open with Cannes Grand Prix winner ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and showcase acclaimed films like The Maw Naing’s topical drama film ‘MA – Cry of Silence’, the first-ever Tibetan anthology feature film, ‘State of Statelessness’, and ‘From Ground Zero’, a collection of 22 short films made in Gaza, among others. The programme includes a mix of bold narratives and thought-provoking documentaries that explore pressing global themes.
“Our programme for the 13th edition of DIFF is a mix of films that directly explore difficult subjects like political unrest and trauma, and those that allow audiences to briefly forget these realities and lose themselves in different worlds – both inner and outer – in the special way that only cinema can do,” says Bina Paul, DIFF’s director of programming as she reflects on the process of putting together the 2024 lineup.
“This year, we had an incredible range of films to choose from. More and more young people are taking up the camera to tell their personal stories, providing a fresh eye on many pressing concerns. We had films from war zones, films of trauma and resistance, and films that delve into the quiet aspects of human existence,” she adds.
Continuing DIFF’s tradition of fostering in-depth conversations around contemporary cinema, co-founder Ritu Sarin notes, “DIFF 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.”
Among the many exciting cinematic experiences on offer, some of the highlights from 2024 include:
A still from 'When The Light Breaks'
MA — Cry of Silence | The Maw Naing | Myanmar, South Korea, Singapore, France, Norway, Qatar | 74 mins | 2024
In 2022, Yangon, Myanmar, is in the midst of a civil war following the military coup on 1 February 2021. Mi-Thet, a young Burmese woman, is working in a garment factory in Yangon, far from her native village. Wages have not been paid for the past two months, and a group of workers are leading a strike. But soon, the strikers are attacked by the henchmen of the military regime, leaving Mi-Thet terrified by her past trauma.
A still from 'State of Sleeplessness'
In the Land of Brothers | Alireza Ghasemi, Raha Amirfazl | Iran, France, Netherlands | 95 mins | 2024
Under the shadow of the US invasion of Afghanistan, an extended refugee family begins a new life in Iran, unaware of the ultimate price expected of them as outliers in an unwelcoming environment. The film tells the story of Mohammad, a young teenager and promising student; Leila, a woman isolated by geography; and Qasem, who bears the weight of his family’s sacrifice.
A still from 'In The Lands of Brothers'
When the Light Breaks | Rúnar Rúnarsson | Iceland, Netherlands, Croatia, France | 82 mins | 2024
When the light breaks on a long summer’s day in Iceland, from one sunset to another, Una, a young art student encounters love, friendship, sorrow and beauty. Writer-director Rúnar Rúnarsson’s beautiful and quietly breathtaking elegy of love, loss and acceptance, with its striking 16mm cinematography and exquisite design, captures a precise sense of time, place and mood.
A Still from 'When the Light Breaks'
From Ground Zero | Various Directors | Palestine, France, Qatar, Jordan, UAE | 112 mins | 2024 | (South Asia Premiere)
From Ground Zero is a compelling project that brings together 22 short films created by talented filmmakers from Gaza. Launched by Rashid Masharawi, a renowned Palestinian filmmaker, the initiative was born against the backdrop of conflict and aims to provide a platform for young artists to express themselves through their craft.
A still from We Are Faheem and Karun
No Other Land | Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham & Rachel Szor | Norway, Palestine | 96 mins | 2024
This powerful documentary by a Palestinian-Israeli collective chronicles Basel Adra’s fight to save his Palestinian community from forced expulsion. Alongside an Israeli journalist, they form a complex, unequal partnership in the struggle for justice.
Words Platform Desk
Date 05.09.2024