Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival started Summer 2024 semester

Orientation Program and General Meeting of Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival was held on 5th July 2024 at Permanent Campus of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.  The summer semester started with the addition of new volunteers through the recruitment of new volunteers.  This time 202 people applied to join as volunteers out of them 71 people were selected.  Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival Advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabeen Co-Advisor Pantha Rahman and Instructor Farhad Hossain Farid were present in the event.  Executive members of DIMFF were also present. During the event, DIMFF Advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabeen and Co-Advisor Pantha Rahman welcomed the new volunteers, and all executive members introduced their teams. In the meeting, plans for the upcoming 2025 festival were discussed.  Film submissions for the 2025 festival will end on September 27 this year and the 2025 festival could be held in the first week of February 2025.

The 11th edition of the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) commenced with great fanfare on 3 April, coinciding with National Film Day. 

The virtual inauguration began with a warm welcome from Festival Advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabin; igniting anticipation for the cinematic journey ahead, reads a press release.

The unveiling of the festival poster and a gripping promotional video took place shortly after marking the official launch. An insightful tutorial video guided participants on film submission and rating procedures, ensuring a seamless experience for filmmakers eager to showcase their creations.

Submissions for DIMFF-25 will start on 3 April and be closed on 24 September. This festival will have four award categories.

Renowned actor, director, and writer Gazi Rakayet graced the event as a special guest, sharing his enriching experiences with DIMFF in the past.

“I became rich just watching the films,” remarked Rakayet, expressing his enthusiasm for the diverse talents expected to participate in this year’s festival.

He extended hearty congratulations to all involved, emphasizing the significance of student participation in shaping the future of cinema.

The excitement peaked with the announcement of the winner of the Mystery Box, Rakibul Hossen Shiam, adding an element of intrigue and anticipation to the festivities ahead of the year.

The virtual event ended with Co-Advisor Rubayat Andalib Pantho and his remarks, “We grew up watching you, Gazi Rakayet Sir. Thank you for being a part of our childhood and for gracing us with your support in our journey. Thanks to the former festival directors, and to Hosain Hoque, the up-and-coming one, to the volunteers, who have worked to make this easy for the rest of us. Thanks to all of you.”

“Time to Live” directed by Iranian Filmmaker Hawar Rahimi won the top award “DIMFF Best Film” at the 10th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival concluded on Sunday at Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City Complex in the capital.

“Prayer Lima” won ULAB Best Vertical Film – directed by Young Man Kang from Peru. Bangladeshi film “Rights of Puppets” by Ali Reza Piyal won the CinemaScope Best Film Award while another Bangladeshi film “Pollution Mare” by Rawda Tasweeb won the ULAB Young Filmmaker Award, reads a press release.

This year, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) expanded its horizons by introducing a thematic category supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), centered around the poignant theme “Forced to Flee” for the first time.

And in this category, “The Unbreakable Wall,” directed by Nowrin Islam Rio won the “UNHCR Best Film”.

A total of 176 films were submitted from 35 countries worldwide at the 10th edition of this flagship festival from the Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

The closing ceremony was joined by acclaimed Scriptwriter and Film Producer Abdul Aziz, the Chairman of Jaaz Multimedia as the chief guest. ULAB Vice Chancellor Imran Rahman was present there as a special guest.

“Technology is now like a pen and paper. Filmmakers should take advantage of it and use mobile phones professionally,” Aziz said at the event.

Following that, Professor Imran Rahman, alongside chief guest Abdul Aziz and ULAB Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Jude William Genilo, handed over the crests, prize money, and certificates to the winners.

This year’s Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival ended with a vote of thanks from DIMFF’s Advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabin.

Chorusing the slogan “New Generation, New tools, New Communication,” the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival started its journey back in 2015.

The press conference of the 10th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival 2024 (DIMFF2024) was held on Thursday (29 February) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh’s permanent campus. 

The 10th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF2024), powered by Star Cineplex, is set to take place from 2 March and 3 March, bringing together filmmakers from 35 countries to showcase their talents and creativity. With a total of 176 films submitted, a total of 20 have been selected for exhibition, in four categories: Open Doors, Short film, Vertical film, One Minute. The festival will be held at the Permanent Campus of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City Complex. This year DIMFF will be celebrating its one decade of mobile filmmaking.

The 6 selected films for OPEN DOOR category are – “What Really Happened Was” by Jon-Claire Lee from Australia, “Every Three Days” by Mark Petrasso from Italy, “A Long Afternoon” by Sohibanoo Zolghadr from Islamic Republic of Iran, “Before The Sand Returns To The Sea” by Marcelo Lagreze from Argentina, “Time to Live” by Hawar Rahimi from Iran, “The Sea” by Sahra Ramezanian from Islamic Republic of Iran.

The 3 selected VERTICAL FILM Categories are “3EMW” by Carlos Vazquez from Mexico “Cozy Light Bulbs” by Kostiantyn Mishchenko from the United States, “Prayer Lima” Peru by Young Man Kang.

From SHORT FILM Category, four films are selected, they are “Acquaintance” by Vitalii Ermakov from Russian Federation, “Rights of Puppets” by Ali Reza Piyal from Bangladesh, “Machine City” by Noor E Alam Taimur from Bangladesh, “Sapling” by Dhwani Shah from United States.

From ONE MINUTE category, there are 3 films:  “Pollution Mare” by Rawda Tasweeb from Bangladesh, “The Proud Tree” by Ittiba Hussain from Bangladesh, “Brush & Floss” by Yusra Chowdhury  from Bangladesh.

From UNHCR Category 3 selected films are, “Slang: Rohingya Narrative” by Jubayer Ahmed from Bangladesh, “Unsent Letters” by Rafsan Jany Rahay and “The Unbreakable Wall” by Nowrin Islam Rio from Bangladesh.

The theme of 10th DIMFF’24 is “Nagordola”. The festival sponsor is UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.  And the festival will be documented by Filmism. We have “Erfan Teaders” as our Award Partner, “Zen Pharma” is our Wellness Partner.  JCI BANGLADESH as Youth and Networking Partner. We are glad to have NTV online as the online media partner. The print media partner of this year’s Business Standard, Janakantha, Desh Rupantor and The Daily Star. The Radio Partner Dhaka FM 90.4, our TV partner is SomoyNews.tv. Last but not the least, Star Cineplex is the venue partner of DIMFF.

The 10th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF’24) is going to conduct a pre-festival event, ‘Talk’:  Film, and Breaking the 4th Wall on Friday, 1st March, 2024. DIMFF will screen the film online  “Nowhere,” directed by young, talented filmmaker Zirao Yao. The screening will be followed by a discussion session. This discussion and screening will be hosted on the online Zoom platform.

This year’s tremendous achievement was a five-week-long mobile workshop organised jointly by the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival and The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) titled “Forced to Flee”, with a MoU signing with ULAB. Moreover, DIMFF collaborated with TikTok for the campaign “#CreateOnTikTok”. The “#CreateOnTikTok ” campaign event with DIMFF not only celebrated creativity but also provided valuable insights for the growing community of TikTok to enthusiasts and content creators.

The jury board of DIMFF’s 10th edition consists of two groups. ‘Short Film’ and ‘One Minute’ categories have  acclaimed director Masud Hasan Ujjal as Jury Chair and National Film Award winner music director Maqsud Jamil Mintoo and he was accompanied by noted Iranian actor and writer Arshia Zeinali as Jury Members. On the other hand, renowned British writer, producer, and founder of ‘Purple Field Production’ Elspeth Waldie and filmmaker Pradip Ghosh are the jury members and renowned actor and director Gazi Rakayet as Jury Chair for ‘Open Door’ and ‘Vertical’ categorized films.

The Festival Director Jubayada Jahan Shajlin, Festival Supervisor Samiul Hasan Hinel, PR Manager Fatema Tuz Zannat were present at the press conference to give more insights into the festival.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival is a platform dedicated to promoting mobile filmmaking and celebrating creativity in the digital age. The festival catalyzes emerging filmmakers to showcase their talent and connect with industry professionals. The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival – DIMFF 2024, is gearing up for its tenth year, with the tagline “New generation, New tools, New communication” with a team of devoted team members working tirelessly.

TikTok, in collaboration with the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF), hosted by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), celebrated the achievements of the top 10 winners of the #CreateOnTikTok competition in a ceremony at Cineplex, SKS Tower, Mohakhali, on January 29, 2024. The occasion highlighted the creativity of individuals who used TikTok for storytelling through short films.

The #CreateOnTikTok competition, a part of TikTok’s latest initiative to empower content creators to craft short films using their mobile devices, culminated with the screening of the winners’ films. The event showcased various storytelling techniques in vertical video format, offering a glimpse into the evolving digital content creation landscape.

The selected winners are Abrar Zahin, Rayed Zakwan, Ahnaf Ali, Ashrafuddin Rahat, Sadiqul Islam, Sheikh Taseen, Isfar Mostakim, Takdir Talha, Rony Sharafat, and Mohammad Rafsan. They received certificates from TikTok, recognizing their contribution to digital content creation. The winners expressed their gratitude and excitement over this unique opportunity. "Thankful to TikTok and ULAB for bringing a change in short-form content creation through #CreateOnTikTok competition and recognizing creators for their creative stories that are portrayed in vertical format.

I’m delighted to be a part of it.," said Ahnaf Ali, reflecting the sentiment of many participants. By facilitating the submission of films through DIMFF’s social media pages and a dedicated TikTok micro-site, the campaign has opened new doors for filmmakers, enabling them to present their stories to a wider audience. The jury for the campaign, comprising Director Zahid Gogon, Film Critic Sadia Khalid Reeti, and Director Nazmul Hasan Shukorno, underscored the campaign’s commitment to excellence and innovation in digital storytelling.

A five-week-long mobile filmmaking workshop organized jointly by the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came to an end on Friday.

The workshop was held at the permanent campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

Inaugurated with the welcome speech by ULAB Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jude Willian Genilo, the event observed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) underscoring the commitment to fostering filmmaking as a means of amplifying refugee narratives by the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative, UNHCR, Bangladesh.

 Prof Jude William Genilo shared insights into the importance of storytelling and commended the young students for their passion and commitment to filmmaking, emphasizing the profound impact such narratives can have on raising awareness and fostering empathy.He also shared that the MoU signing and the partnership with UNHCR aims to empower storytellers to amplify the voices of those ‘Forced to Flee’ and create a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the refugees.

 The chief guest of the event, Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative of UNHCR, graced the occasion with her valuable insights into the world of filmmaking and the role it plays in presenting the stories of refugees as well as the transformative impact of mobile films in capturing the nuances of forced displacement and human resilience.She handed over the certificates to the dedicated participants after that, who completed the workshop.

 Following this, the films were screened, based on the theme ‘Forced to Flee’ – written, produced, and directed by the student filmmakers. The workshop was attended by a total of 20 students from different universities. This workshop was coordinated by Md Rayhan Kabir Shuvro.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) Advisor Syeda Sadia Mahjabin and Instructor Humayun Farid, presented the vote of thanks at the end of the five-week-long workshop on ‘Forced to Flee’. After the main event, a cultural segment was held by ULAB students.

Established as a unique platform to showcase the creativity of young filmmakers, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) started its journey in 2015 with the motto ‘New Generation, New Technology, and New Communication’. This event aims to encourage filmmaking through mobile phones.

The 10th edition of the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF’24) is scheduled to be held in February next year.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF), in collaboration with TikTok, organised a content creation campaign, titled #CreateOnTikTok, for content creators, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts to delve into the vibrant realm of TikTok and filmmaking.

The workshop, held last Friday (November 17) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), attracted participants from schools, colleges, and universities, as well as the Digital Content Creators (DCC) team. TikTok’s collaboration with DIMFF marked the beginning of the event, featuring two informative sessions that connected both in-person and virtual attendees.

The virtual segment commenced with Pooja Dutta discussing TikTok’s global impact, portraying it as a platform for learning and new experiences. Dutta expressed excitement about the collaboration with DIMFF. Saul Moross emphasised the cultural influences that engage global audiences, underscoring the power of hashtags in fostering community unity. Jansen provided insights into film production, emphasising the significance of inspiration and offering practical production tips. Sarah Fleihan explored TikTok content creation, acknowledging the platform’s monumental success and focusing on the importance of creativity, story structure, and community guidelines.

In the offline session, Digital Content Creators Isfar Mostakim and Noushad Hossain showcased the user-friendly features of Capcut, a video editing app, highlighting its quick render times, AI-powered editing capabilities, and convenient usability. Shotok Khan, the entertainment lead for South Asia at TikTok, shared valuable insights on leveraging TikTok as an income-generating platform, emphasising creating long-term video content and promoting a “TikTok University” course. Abdullah Al Mahmud, the representative of #CreateOnTikTok from TikTok, shared information on submitting films on the TikTok micro-site and concluded the event with gratitude, promising a grander affair in the campaign’s closing event.

Film submissions for the campaign are open until December 10, 2023. Creators can submit their films by visiting the DIMFF social media pages or the TikTok micro-site.

DIMFF also announced the distinguished jury board for the #CreateOnTikTok campaign, comprising Director Zahid Gogon, Film Critic Sadia Khalid Reeti, and Director Nazmul Hasan Shukorno. The jury will select three winners, each receiving advantages from the campaign.

TikTok has launched its latest initiative, #CreateOnTikTok, in partnership with the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) organized by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). This one-of-a- kind competition is poised to highlight and empower the growing community of content creators who want to craft short films straight from their mobile devices.

The #CreateOnTikTok campaign, spanning from November 1st to December 29th, is structured to allow enthusiastic participants to showcase their talents in three distinct categories: Story, Script and Editing. To ensure the highest quality, videos are subject to a set of criteria, culminating in a rigorous selection process where the top 40 submissions will be evaluated by a panel of professional jurors elected by ULAB. Then we will have the exclusive voting option on the platform for TikTok users to vote for the best video. As a testament to their achievements, shortlisted videos will be showcased on the TikTok profiles of the DIMFF and Cineplex. Charting the course of the campaign, preparations are already underway with the setup of ULAB's official presence on TikTok, the crafting of a dedicated campaign microsite, and intricate plans for an in-app voting platform. The campaign will be officially inaugurated in- app on 1st November, and users will be informed and updated about the competition through in-app notifications to keep the community engaged. The subsequent months will see an intensive video review process, leading up to the grand announcement of winners at the close of December.

Recognizing the meteoric rise in the popularity of short films on its platform and the insatiable appetite of users for entertainment content, TikTok aims to inspire its vast creator community. The essence of this campaign is to champion those who produce unique vertical videos and to accentuate the capabilities of TikTok's robust in-house creative tools, namely CapCut and Effect House.

This unique collaboration with DIMFF ULAB represents a confluence of creativity and academic rigor. The partnership invites students majoring in Media Studies at ULAB to harness their talents, creating specialized vertical content exclusively for TikTok, with the sole tool being their mobile phones. Moreover, in a nod to the growing significance of video editing in today's digital age, a specialized workshop will be rolled out by the TikTok team.

This workshop aims to demystify the world of video editing, introducing participants to the nuances of the CapCut platform. " At TikTok, we believe in the transformative power of creativity and the stories that emerge when technology meets passion. The #CreateOnTikTok initiative, in partnership with DIMFF ULAB, is a celebration of this convergence. Together, we're charting a new course in storytelling, empowering creators to bring their unique visions to life right from their fingertips," says Pooja Dutta, Head of Content Operations, South Asia, TikTok. " Mobile filmmaking is not just a trend; it's a powerful testament to the democratization of storytelling. Our partnership with TikTok through the #CreateOnTikTok initiative signifies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers. By bridging the gap between academia and the digital realm, we are excited to uncover the myriad stories waiting to be told by our vibrant community of creators," says Syeda Sadia Mehjabin, Advisor of DIMFF.

For more details about the #CreateOnTikTok initiative, including submission guidelines and key dates, please visit the official microsite. With this collaboration with DIMFF ULAB, TikTok aspires to set new benchmarks in mobile filmmaking, encouraging a fresh wave of creators to harness the power of their devices and redefine the landscape of digital storytelling.

A five-week-long mobile filmmaking workshop will take place from 6 October onwards, jointly organized by the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIMFF) and the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

This workshop is open to undergraduate students from any educational institution. During the workshop, students will receive hands-on training and create films on the theme “Forced to Flee”, a new category established with UNHCR’s support for the tenth edition of DIMFF, reads a press release.

The student films produced through the workshop will reflect both the experiences of refugees—people forced to flee their homelands due to violence, persecution, conflict, or human rights violations—as well as the experiences of the communities hosting them. As Bangladesh is currently hosting nearly one million Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar, the workshop offers an opportunity to empathetically engage with the ongoing refugee crisis through the medium of mobile film.

The workshop sessions will occur every Friday and Saturday, from 6 October to 4 November at the permanent campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, which began its journey in 2015 with the motto “New Generation, New Tools, New Communication,” aims to promote filmmaking using mobile phones.

A four-day mobile filmmaking workshop jointly organized by the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIMFF) and Science Film Festival comes to an end on December 31, 2022.

The workshop was held on December 23, 24, 30, and 31 at the Permanent Campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), and the Goethe Institute Bangladesh is a subsidiary institution of the workshop. Apart from film production materials, the free workshop also includes transportation and food for trainees and teacher representatives.

The workshop is attended by a total of 20 students from the JAAGO Foundation, Rayer Bazar School, and KK Foundation studying in classes VI to XII. After hands-on training, students produced films on the theme “Equal Rights in Science” at this girls-only event.

Four films produced by the students were premiered on the last day. Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) Advisor Mohammad Shazzad Hossain and Instructor Zahid Gogon were present at the premiere. On the last day of the 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, certificates will be given out.

Syeda Sadia Mehjabin, DIMFF’s advisor, gave a vote of thanks at the end of the four-day workshop. After the main program, a cultural segment was held by the school students. The social affairs team of DIMFF organized the workshop.

The 9th edition of the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival 2023 (DIMFF 2023) is going to be held on March 3 and 4, 2023. DIMFF is a unique platform to showcase the creativity of young filmmakers.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival started its journey in 2015 with the motto “New Generation, New Technology, and New Communication.” This event is to encourage filmmaking through mobile phones.

For details visit: https://dimff.net/

The film submissions for the 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, DIMFF2023 are officially closed. The entire team of DIMFF 2023 worked together as one to make this festival happen during this unsolicited pandemic.

This festival aims to uphold and showcase hundreds of mobile films submitted by many amazing filmmakers. The sole purpose of this festival is to promote mobile film making in a broader spectrum. To normalize making film with new tools and technology, such as; mobile phones.

The festival includes three different categories: Independent, Competition, and One-minute film category. Keeping some specifications in mind all three categories are open for all. Independent Category calls for both international and national submissions, where the best film will be receiving the “DIMFF Best Film   award. For the “Cinemascope Best Film   award, the university students worldwide have to compete under the Competition Category. In the One-minute Film Category students from grade 1 to 12 can submit exactly one-minute-long films including the title and credit lines. The winner of this category will be receiving the “ULAB Young Filmmaker   award. The longest film in the Competition Category is ten minutes long.

The submissions started on 3rd April, 2022 and ended on 28th October, 2022. Since then, we have received 159 films under different categories from 25 different countries, such as; India, Iran, The United States, China, Australia, Peru, Tunisia, Chile. The art of filmmaking transcended all the boundaries between us and brought us together. We appreciate all the love and support that we have got from all around the world.

To express her immense gratitude for the overwhelming success and the received support for the festival, the festival director of DIMFF 2023, Md. Sambitul Islam said, ”We started taking submissions from the 3rd of April and so far we have received 163 films from 25 countries.  I think, We first started as a club within the university in 2015 and now we have reached to an international level. We are overwhelmed with the support we have received. Hope your support will remain constant within the coming years too.

To break the stigma that one needs studio worthy equipment to make a good film, DIMFF (Dhaka International Film Festival) started its journey back in 2015. New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, our main goal is to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.

For more information, please visit our website: (https://dimff.net)

The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival- DIMFF2023 has made the remarkable feat of exceeding  100 film submissions.

In this year’s installment, participants can submit films in 5 different categories including Vertical Film and MoJo Storytelling. With the tradition of focusing on a particular cultural heritage element as its festival theme, DIMFF has chosen “Bioscope” as this year’s theme.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, 2023 – DIMFF2023, is all set for its ninth term, with many dedicated team members working passionately. The film submissions are open till September. The selected films will be screened during the festival’s opening and closing sessions. DIMFF is a platform for young filmmakers for their creative expression.

New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) commenced its journey back in 2015, mainly to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.  

The 9th DIMFF 2023 film submission has started, so submit your film by 24th September 2022. The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) will be held on February 3 & 4, 2023.  

For further information, please visit: filmfreeway.com/DIMFF

To know more, please visit the website: www.dimff.net.

On the 23rd of this April, Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival DIMFF’23 arranged the masterclass of their ninth installment. The masterclass was conducted through the online platform zoom.

Every year, DIMFF organizes several masterclasses with the aim of introducing students from schools, colleges and universities interested in filmmaking to various branches of the vast world of film. In this, domestic and international filmmakers and experts participated in direct discussions with the students and presented their views on films and shared bits of their own filmmaking journey.

Film producer and director Mr. Abid Mallick conducted the masterclass titled ‘Nirmatar Bahurup: Directing Artists’. He discusses in detail about the art of communication for getting the perfect work from the artists in accordance with the character of the story.

He said, “the main job of a director is to fully utilize an artist’s potential. The more work he can put in, the better the results will be”. Besides, he also included the importance of paying proper attention to mental health.

He further added, “if the producer wants the actors to give their best then that environment has to be ensured. Never disturb their attention in any way. It should be kept in mind that they are human beings like us, not robots”. A question and answer session was organized shortly after where the participants interacted with the expert and asked various questions related to the film and the production.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has been held every year since 2015 with the slogan “New generation, new technology, new communication”. The deadline for submission of films in five different categories for the 9th season is 24 September 2022.

An inter- university workshop for aspiring media professionals titled “MediaDo” “ was organized by the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival- DIMFF2023 at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in the capital, last Saturday. This workshop aimed to teach participants about media relations through the experiences of skilled industry specialists.

The session was conducted by Mohammad Arif, Assistant Director of Planning at Asiatic Mindshare Ltd.Ltd., and Md. Ehsun-Uz-Zaman, Assistant Media Director of Operation and Partnership  at Asiatic Mindshare Ltd. This workshop was designed to cater to would-be media professionals with a keen interest in public relations and mass media

Undergraduate students from all over Dhaka are attending the workshop. DIMFF’s Public Relations manager, Nuzhat Fairuz Nobonie, and External Affairs manager, Ha-mim Shafiq Hussain, arranged this workshop. 

The speakers emphasized the importance of planning and omnipresence of a media campaign for a brand. The workshop concluded with an interactive Q and A session between the guest speakers and participants.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, 2023 – DIMFF2023, is all set for its ninth term, with a bunch of dedicated team members working passionately. The film submissions are open till September. The selected films will be screened at the festival’s opening and closing sessions. DIMFF is a platform for young filmmakers for their creative expression.

New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) commenced its journey back in 2015, mainly to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.  

The 9th DIMFF 2023 film submission has started, so submit your film by 24th September 2022. The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) will be held on March 3 & 4, 2023.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival- DIMFF2023 wrapped a four-day workshop on “DIY: Mobile Filmmaking” on Saturday at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in the capital. The goal of this workshop was to introduce school children to the principles of visual content creation, as well as the prospects and opportunities that come with mobile filmmaking.

Ten Badshah Faisal Institute students from grades 6 to 10 attended the workshop. The session was organized by DIMFF’s social affairs manager, Rayhan Kabir Shuvro, Creative Manager Mahmudul Hasan Sajib, Content manager Hossain Ahmed Hasibul Hoque, Submission manager Sibasish Bagchi Anik, and Public Relations manager Nuzhat Fairuz Nobonie. It was led by DIMFF’s instructor, Zahid Gogon.

The participating students were divided into groups, and they made two one-minute films solely using mobile phones. “Moshari” was directed by filmmaker, Rashid Mohammad Naziat and “Switch” was directed by filmmaker, Ahmed Zakaria Tamim. 

Their films were also entered in DIMFF 2023’s competition. Following the training, the young students are now prepared to compete in international competitions.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, 2023 – DIMFF2023, is all set for its ninth term, with a bunch of dedicated team members working passionately. The film submissions are open till September. The selected films will be screened on the festival’s opening and closing sessions. DIMFF is a platform for young filmmakers for their creative expression.

New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) commenced its journey back in 2015, mainly to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.  

The 9th DIMFF 2023 film submission has started, so submit your film by 24th September 2022. The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) will be held on March 3 & 4, 2023.  

This Saturday, Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival – DIMFF2023 organized  a film screening and discussion session titled “Behind the lens” at the auditorium of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). With the aim to inspire young filmmakers in the country, the session was a success where two talented filmmakers shared their views, tips and tricks with the young mobile filmmakers.

The event started with the welcome speech by the gracious host Alavi Abrar. Mohammad Farhad Hossain Fahad, director of ‘Interval’ and Anupam Hore, director of ‘The Conundrum’ were present in the event. 

A screening session was arranged by DIMFF2023 where both ‘Interval’ and ‘The Conundrum’ were screened. After the screening, a special discussion session with the filmmakers happened where both of the filmmakers shared their journey of making the films. They also shared several aspects of filmmaking techniques starting from writing to post production with the audience.

“It is very important that storytellers take the story on a personal level and tell the story they themselves relate to for making a good film” said Anupam Hore. On the other hand, Mohammad Farhad Hossain Fahad advised young filmmakers to give emphasis on exploring new journeys through life and be their crazy selves in order to be a filmmaker.

Behind the lens was broadcasted live through Social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. Young filmmakers from all over Dhaka attended this event while filmmakers around the world from different countries attended through social media. A brief question and answer session was arranged where the aspiring filmmakers from the audience got a chance to interact with both the directors directly.

Ticket lottery announcement was done by the host in the event where two lucky winners got ticket vouchers from STAR Cineplex. After that, honorable advisors of DIMFF2023, Mohammad Shazzad Hossain, Abdul Kabil Khan, and Syeda Sadia Mehjabin gave the token of honor to both the directors and the event ended with a Vote of thanks by Syeda Sadia Mehjabin.

With the motto – ‘New generation, New tools, New communication’ and a bunch of dedicated team members working passionately, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, 2023 – DIMFF2023, is all set for its ninth term. DIMFF is a platform for young filmmakers for their creative expression.

The film submissions are open till 24th of September,2022. The 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) will be held on March 3 & 4, 2023. 

Mr. Mahiuddin Sarkar, the editor of Dhaka Post signed the contract paper on their behalf and Mr. Sambitul Islam, the festival director of DIMFF signed the contract on behalf of DIMFF23.

Dhaka post’s business development manager, Mr. H M Golam Murtaza, Head of Entertainment Mr. Rabiul Islam Jibon and multimedia journalist Mr.Rabiul were present while the signing of the contract of this glorious collaborative bond.

Since 2015, Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has been successfully arranging a mobile phone film festival every year with the motto,’New Generation, New Technology, New Communication’.

Recently World Universities with Real Impact (WURI) published their rankings where ‘Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival’ secured the 25th position in the Entrepreneurial Spirit category.

Last date of film submission in DIMFF’23 is 24th September, 2022. In this year’s event, alongside vertical film and MOJO stories, participants are offered 5 different categories in total to submit their films and be a part of Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival.

Film exhibition and discussion program ‘Behind the Lens’ was organized like every year with the slogan of new generation, new technology, new communication. Film exhibition and discussion program ‘Behind the Lens’ was held under the initiative of DIMF.

The event was held on the virtual platform Zoom on Saturday (April 16) at 3 pm. ‘Behind the Lens’ is a regular event of DIMFF where films made by domestic and international filmmakers are discussed and the story behind the production is discussed.

Sohail Shahriar and Iqbal Mahmud, makers of ‘Circle of Circles’ and Akhil Vijaya, maker of ‘The Day’ were the guests in the first episode of the show. Two films were made on mobile phones and screened at the eighth and seventh editions of DIMFF.

In the event, the makers presented the story of their mobile film making to the audience. Discusses their filmmaking journey and challenges through the use of mobile phones.

Iqbal Mahmud said, if a new person wants to make a film, starting work is the main obstacle. Once a work is started it will end one day or the other.

Akhil Vijaya in his speech said about DIMFF, Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival is one of the best festivals for mobile filmmakers. It is a great honor for me to speak about my film in front of you today. Then in the question and answer session, the participants asked the filmmakers various questions related to the film.

The last date for submission of films in five different categories for this year’s 9th edition is 24th September 2022. Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has been held every year since 2015.

Masterclass of the ninth edition of Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival ‘DIMFF-2023’ was held yesterday (April 23). The masterclass was organized on the virtual platform Zoom on Saturday (April 23).

Every year, DIMFF organizes masterclasses to introduce students from schools, colleges and universities interested in film to various branches of the vast world of film. In this, domestic and international filmmakers and experts participated in direct discussions with the students and presented their views and experiences on films.

The Masterclass titled Bahruop of the Maker: Directing Artists was conducted by film producer and director Abid Mallick. Discusses in detail how to get the perfect work from the artists in accordance with the character of the story.

He said, the main job of a director is to fully exploit the artist’s potential. The more work he can put in, the better the results will be. Besides, he asked to pay proper attention to mental health.

He further said that if the producer wants the actor to give his best then that environment has to be ensured. Do not disturb his attention in any way. Also, it should be remembered that he is a human being like us, not a robot. A question and answer session was then organized where the participants asked various questions related to the film and the production.

It should be noted that Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has been held every year since 2015 with the slogan of new generation, new technology, new communication. The deadline for submission of films in five different categories for the 9th season is 24 September 2022.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has been held every year since 2015 with the slogan ‘New Generation, New Technology, New Communication’. Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) and Bangladesh Film Archive jointly celebrated the National Film Day at Bangladesh Film Archive’s auditorium.

Last Saturday (April 2) at 3 pm, the day was celebrated through a colorful arrangement in the auditorium of Bangladesh Film Archive.

Director General of Bangladesh Film Archive Md. Nizamul Kabir was present as the chief guest in the event alongside DIMFF advisors Muhammad Sajjad Hussain and Abdul Qabil Khan, filmmaker Mahadi Hasan, members of DIMFF and other advisors.

At the beginning of the program, Muhammad Sajjad Hossain discussed the importance of modern technology in film production and how mobile filmmaking during the pandemic had a major impact. He sheds light on the fact that it has created a new field of possibilities. He also highlighted the struggle and success story of 9 years long journey of DIMFF in his speech.

Director General of Bangladesh Film Archive Md. Nizamul Kabir thanked and praised DIMFF authorities and organizing members for successfully organizing this festival on mobile films in Bangladesh every year.

A discussion session on ‘Role of Art and Technology in Modern Filmmaking’ moderated by Abdul Kabeel Khan was organized with the guests. The official program of submission of films for the 9th season of Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival began during the celebration of this glorious day.

Submissions can be done on www.filmfreeway.com from Sunday (April 3) to September 24, 2022. Participants can submit films in a total of 5 different categories including Vertical Film and Mojo Story this year.

Note: National Film Day is celebrated in Bangladesh every year on April 3 to commemorate the contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the film industry of Bangladesh. This year, keeping in mind the beginning of Ramzan, DIMFF celebrated the day a day earlier.

Shumsul Islam Shuvo

As a child, films always fascinated me. I always wondered how the director tells a visual story with a limited time. I used to think you could only make films with expensive equipment but when I heard about the Dhaka International Mobile Film festival and watched the films people submitted from around the world, my perception of filmmaking has completely changed. You can tell a story using one device you carry with you most of the time. Moreover, mobile cameras are getting more and more powerful with time. Therefore, it makes sense to use this device to tell- Your Story.

This led me to join the Dhaka International Mobile film festival (DIMFF) to learn more about mobile filmmaking and what goes behind that lens from action to cut. My journey with DIMFF started last year. As a PR manager, I have seen DIMFF very closely. DIMFF is a tireless work of many teams. DIMFF is not just a mobile film festival, it is an organization that runs under a defined organizational structure. Throughout the festival year, it selects campus ambassadors from various educational institutions to spare the mobile filmmaking knowledge. The campus ambassadors arrange their own workshop or movie screening session for their institution and DIMFF’s whole team helps them throughout the process. In addition to that, DIMFF has Online Mobile Filmmaking Workshops just to cater the students from different schools and colleges. Through these workshops, they learn about the magic of filmmaking using their smartphones.

CINE’TA is another initiative taken by DIMFF where film directors, different crew members and film industry experts share their knowledge. It is a golden opportunity for any film enthusiast to learn many things about filmmaking which will help them in their filmmaking journey. Then there are masterclasses also for in-depth learning about the craft of storytelling, managing production, sourcing producers or establishing networking. World-renowned filmmakers conduct these masterclasses. DIMFF organizes Behind the Lens sessions too where the filmmaker talks about his/her film career and their filmmaking process behind the camera.

DIMFF believes that we are committed to society as well. From that ideology, DIMFF collaborates with Initiative für Neue Bildung (IFNB) as a Partner for Change and ensures an online mobile filmmaking course to Barishal Nook’s ten participants. This is not all. DIMFF arranges CSDT filmmaking workshops in two terms with the Munda community in Koyra and Shyamnagar, Shatkhira. These workshops focus on climate change and its aftermath in the Munda community’s life where the participants tried to capture the climate change-related problems they are facing as a community. In Koyra, DIMFF’s advisor Mohammad Shazzad Hossain coordinated the workshop. Also in Shyamnagar, assistant professor Abdul Kader and senior lecturer Muhammad Aminuzzaman acted as the coordinators of the workshop. In both places, DIMFF’s advisor Dr. Abdul Kabil Khan and Executive advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabin were the facilitators.

DIMFF is a unique place where people from all over the world can express themselves artistically. With the help of your mobile device, the creative passion in your heart can enable you to visually tell your story to the world. “New Generation, New Tools, New Communication with this moto DIMFF is giving the young filmmakers the opportunity to start their movie-making journey. Be a part of the community and bring the change.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has held a six-day CDST Filmmaking Workshop with Munda Community in Shyamnagar, Satkhira which started on Sunday 23rd January 2022. This mobile filmmaking workshop solely focused on climate change and its aftermath in Munda’s life. Total 10 participants from the Munda Community joined the workshop.

Global warming is real and rapid climate change is the effect of it. Participants have tried their best to cover different problem areas and how those create a long-term effect in the Munda community. In those diverge topics they talk about the tiger widow, child marriage, culture and language, job crisis and alternative solutions and sufferings of displacements. Through their stories, they display the sufferings and sacrifices the Munda community bears, the threat of child marriage overshadows the happiness of the conjugal lives and the importance of keeping their heritage intact.

The intensive mobile filmmaking workshop, the first of its kind in Shyamnagar, provided the opportunity for participants from the Munda community to understand and appreciate the process of telling their stories with a smartphone. Besides that, through this workshop, they have gathered the basic knowledge of filmmaking, which will help them find their voice on a broader scale. At the closing event, each participant has showcased their films in front of the audience. And those films vividly display their everyday lives- struggles for survival fighting against nature.

The Closing Ceremony of the ‘CDST Filmmaking Workshop with Munda Community, Shyamnagar 2022 is held on Friday, 28th January 2022, at 3:30 pm. ULAB MSJ Department Head Dr Jude William Genilo sent a Thank You speech to the participants, and so did the project researcher Angelos Theocharis from Durham University. The program started with a brief introduction to the research project and was followed by screening participants projects. At the event UP Chairman of Burighoalini, Bhobotosh Kumar Mondol, founder of Initiative for Coastal Development, Asikuzzaman Asik, founder of PROGOTI Ashek-e- Elahi were grace the event.

The “Community Digital Storytelling and Delta Futures in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam project is organized by Dr. Angelos Theocharis and funded by the UKRI GCRF Living Deltas Hub and the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR) at Durham University. The present workshops were conducted in collaboration with the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF), the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), and PROGOTI (People’s Research on Grassroots Ownership & Traditional Initiative).

From DIMFF, advisor Dr Abdul Kabil Khan and executive advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabin were the facilitators and Assistant professor Abdul Kader and Senior Lecturer Muhammad Aminuzzaman from ULAB were the coordinators of the workshop. From PROGOTI, Ashek-e- Elahi acted as the coordinator from the local side.

The 8th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF 2022) has organized a masterclass on 20th December 2021 at 4 PM for film enthusiasts and independent filmmakers. The masterclass was titled ‘Smartphone Filmmaking Theory and Practice . It was held on the online platform Zoom.

The masterclass was conducted by Senior Lecturer in Film and Television and Research at the Centre for Transformative Media Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia) Dr. Max Schleser. Dr Schleser is also the screening director of the International Mobile Screening & Smartphone Film Festival.

In this masterclass, Dr. Schleser talked about the diverse approach towards smartphone filmmaking and gave an overview of the international mobile films audience. He said, ‘It doesn’t matter if you are 16 or 60, smartphone filmmaking can help solve lots of problems in this world . According to him there are few things that are key to mobile filmmaking, ‘More personal and more authentic films are surfacing and that’s because of smartphone filmmaking, there is a greater access to storytelling, more community engagement strategies and smartphone filmmaking is the global phenomenon with festivals in Asia and Africa he added.

97 people attended the masterclass while 121 registered. Young and aspiring filmmakers actively participated in this session. This masterclass desires to offer that knowledge to upcoming filmmakers looking forward to starting their mobile filmmaking journey. This masterclass is a part of DIMFF’s ongoing Masterclass sessions.

With the motto- New Generation, New tools, New Communication, Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) started its journey back in 2015. The 8th edition of this festival will be held on 25 February, 2022.

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) won the Social Science Silver Award for 2021 in the Wharton–Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Reimagine Education Awards; otherwise known as the “Oscars of Education.   The ULAB entry is the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF), which is an outreach program of the Media Studies and Journalism Department. The DIMFF inspires and sparks creativity in storytelling from people with limited income or resources. It encourages filmmakers to harness the immense possibilities of disseminating authentic narratives; supporting communities to tell their own stories, using their own voices. The DIMFF has an executive body and a core team of volunteers who work year-round to ensure the festival’s success.

The Social Science Gold Award went to Pompeu Fabra University (Spain) for its ambitious international programme to generate and transmit new knowledge about the concept of Planetary Wellbeing. The Bronze Award, meanwhile, was given to Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (Switzerland) for its Virtual Reality (VR) immersive experimental learning: virtual housekeeping.

The Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference is a global competition and conference which encourages educators everywhere to spot problems that prevent optimal learning and/or pedagogical outcomes, and find creative, innovative solutions to these problems. By doing so    by reimagining the way education is conceived of and conducted    all participants have the chance to bring forth a vibrant, dynamic generation of highly educated, highly employable, highly motivated problem-solvers. For 2021, the Awards and Conference was held from 6 to 10 December. More than 1100 projects competed for awards in over twenty-five categories. The overall winner for the Best Sustainability and Best Online Program will be announced on 10 December. The judging criteria included: Project Approach, Project Engagement, Project Impact, Scalability and Competitor Comparison/Uniqueness.

‘Behind the Lens is an online event organised by DIMFF (Dhaka International Film Festival). This event screens, discusses and appreciates national and international filmmakers’s films and their filmmaking journey. In the last chapter, we had Jay Sharma, an Indian filmmaker and director, as the mediator. He showcased his directorial excellence- “So Sicily”.

The second episode of “Behind the Lens was held on 22nd of October, Friday at 4:00 PM. This time around, we had Andrew Robb, an Australian renowned film director. He screened one of his recent works, “Odd One Out” for the audience. This film has been acknowledged by many renowned film festivals.

The event started off with an introduction to DIMFF 2022, followed by a screening session. “Odd One Out was a seven minutes long film that had been shot on a smartphone during lockdown at Sunshine, Melbourne. Using a lost and lonely doll as a metaphorical character, the film aims to describe many discoveries in the journey of its life. After the screening session the floor was open to the audience for the Q/A session. Andrew Robb shared his experience with the audience and answered the questions.

The hour-long event was hosted by Fatin Anjum. 141 people registered online to attend the screening and discussion session. Mr Andrew was overwhelmed by the active participation of the audience and their curiosity regarding his filmmaking style and the future of mobile film.

This program is a fairly new addition to DIMFF’s regular activities focusing on the apparent need to talk about the mobile films showcased in various festivals. Participants will have first-hand experience talking to the selected film directors and learning a lot from their filmmaking journey. DIMFF encourages everyone to understand the basics of step-by-step film production. Through this film screening, the participants will watch the film first. Then the filmmaker will explain pre-production, production, post-production, details about the movie like- framing, lighting, colors, device usage. But most importantly, they will discuss their storytelling method.

To break the stigma that one needs studio worthy equipment to make a good film, DIMFF (Dhaka International Film Festival) started its journey back in 2015. New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, DIMFF is inspiring people to create films using mobile phones.

The late submissions for the 8th DIMFF 2022 are open for film submission till 28th October 2021. The final festival event of DIMFF 2022 will be held on February 25 & 26, 2022.

To submit your film, please visit: https://filmfreeway.com/DIMFF

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.dimff.net

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) organized the much anticipated Cine Carnival event on 26 November 2021; in collaboration with its PR partner PR4U, photography partner Shutter Bugs, media partner The Ulabian, broadcast media partner ULABTV. Following the COVID-19 guidelines, the event took place at ULAB Permanent Campus, Dhaka.

The Cine Carnival is an opportunity for young filmmakers to showcase their talent in filmmaking. Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) creates this unique place for the upcoming artist to exhibit their films, which are exclusively shot on mobile phones, ignoring what kind of mobile devices the filmmakers are using.

The event started at 3:00 pm with the host Yasin Mohammad Zisan welcoming the respective guests and introducing the Cine Carnival event and its purpose. The Head of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism, ULAB, Professor Dr. Jude William Genilo, initiated the event with a welcoming speech. In his speech, he welcomed everyone to this wonderful event and said that “Students are given real-life problems to solve and you have to figure out how to solve that problem. In the case of media studies and journalism students, this has something to do with enabling the resources to create their own stories and this is how the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival came about. It helps to create your own stories through the help of a mobile phone. DIMFF has reached a certain level that now it is recognized around the world .

Afterwards, the Chief Guest of the event Priota Ifterkar, the owner of the title “Flag Girl”, was given the stage to make her address to the audience. She said, “I love showing my country to people all around the world who do not know much about Bangladesh. I think the phone was the best device for me. Cameras are heavy and moments can be beautifully captured through the phone .

Subsequently, a film screening session was held where the young filmmakers displayed their talents through their mobile films. The event ended with a Q/A session where the audience asked their most pressing questions about filmmaking. There were arrangements for the entertainment of the guests too such as cosplaying(BD Cosplayers), music, games etc.

This event is designed as a part of DIMFF’s Online Filmmaking course’s activity for DIMFF members and especially for campus ambassadors and young filmmakers. This event will give them a firsthand experience to talk to the selected young filmmakers and learn a lot from their journey of filmmaking through DIMFF’s Online Filmmaking Course. DIMFF encourages everyone to understand the basics of step-by-step film production and builds a bridge that connects mobile filmmakers to the world of filmmaking.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival has held a five-day CDST Filmmaking Workshop with Munda Community in Koyra, Khulna which started on Sunday 6th November 2021. This mobile filmmaking workshop solely focused on climate change and its aftermath in Munda’s life. Total 8 participants from the Munda Community joined the workshop.

Global warming is real and rapid climate change is the effect of it. Participants have tried their best to cover different problem areas and how those create a long-term effect in the Munda community. In those diverge topics they talk about the salinity in the water, health and safety, culture and language, job crisis that leads to displacement. Through their stories, they display the mundane life of Munda woman, her concern for not providing enough nutrition to her family. River erosion is taking away their ancestral land and religion as well.

The intensive mobile filmmaking workshop, the first of its kind in Koyra, provided the opportunity for participants from the Munda community to “understand and appreciate the process of telling their stories with a smartphone. Besides that, through this workshop, they have gathered the basic knowledge of filmmaking, which will help them find their voice on a broader scale. At the closing event, each participant has showcased their films in front of the audience. And those films vividly display their everyday lives- struggles for survival fighting against nature.

The Closing Ceremony of the ‘CDST Filmmaking Workshop with Munda Community, Koyra 2021 is held on Thursday, 11th November 2021, at 3:30 pm. ULAB MSJ Department Head Dr Jude William Genilo sent a Thank You speech to the participants, and so did the project researcher Angelos Theocharis from Durham University. The program started with a brief introduction to the research project and was followed by screening participants projects. Local school teachers, social workers, journalists and renowned public figures also grace the event.

The “Community Digital Storytelling and Delta Futures in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam project is funded by the UKRI GCRF Living Deltas Hub and the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR) at Durham University. The workshop were conducted in collaboration with the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF), the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), and the Initiative for Coastal Development (ICD). From DIMFF, advisor Dr Abdul Kabil Khan and executive advisor Syeda Sadia Mehjabin were the facilitators and DIMFF’s advisor Mohammad Shazzad Hossain was the coordination of the workshop. From ICD, Asikuzzaman Asik acted as the coordination from the local side.

The film submissions for the 8th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, DIMFF2022 are officially closed. The entire team of DIMFF 2022 worked together as one to make this festival happen during this unsolicited pandemic.

This festival aims to uphold and showcase hundreds of mobile films submitted by many amazing filmmakers. The sole purpose of this festival is to promote mobile film making in a broader spectrum. To normalise making film with new tools and technology, such as; mobile phones.

The festival includes three different categories: Independent, Competition, and One-minute film category. Keeping some specifications in mind all three categories are open for all. Independent Category calls for both international and national submissions, where the best film will be receiving the “DIMFF Best Film   award. For the “Cinemascope Best Film   award, the university students worldwide have to compete under the Competition Category. In the One-minute Film Category students from grade 1 to 12 can submit exactly one-minute-long films including the title and credit lines. The winner of this category will be receiving the “ULAB Young Filmmaker   award. The longest film in the Competition Category is ten minutes long.

The submissions started on 3rd April, 2021 and ended on 28th October, 2021. Since then, we have received 153 films under different categories from 31 different countries, such as; India, Iran, The United States, China, Australia, Peru, Tunisia, Chile. The art of filmmaking transcended all the boundaries between us and brought us together. We appreciate all the love and support that we have got from all around the world.

To express her immense gratitude for the overwhelming success and the received support for the festival, the festival director of DIMFF 2022, Zerin Tasnim Tahsin Prova said, ”We started taking submissions from the 3rd of April and so far we have received 153 films from 31 countries. As the first female festival director, for me and DIMFF 2022, this is a huge success, I think. We first started as a club within the university in 2015 and now we have reached to an international level. We are overwhelmed with the support we have received. Hope your support will remain constant with with in the coming years too.

To break the stigma that one needs studio worthy equipment to make a good film, DIMFF (Dhaka International Film Festival) started its journey back in 2015. New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, our main goal is to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.

For more information, please visit our website: (https://dimff.net)

The voyage of the upcoming 8th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, DIMFF 2022, has begun with excitement. Advisors to Executives began working nearly every day strategizing how to get this festival moving during this unwelcomed pandemic.

DIMFF is rejoicing with happy feelings over its film entries for DIMFF 2022.   100 Films from Different Countries   revealed DIMFF submission manager Latullah Mumen Tajkir also added, “We have reached 100+ submissions in a short period, which is a proud moment for us  .

It gives us great pleasure and pride to address that we have received over 100 films submissions from 31 countries to date. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from thousands of individuals all over the world. We hope to receive more film submissions in the future.

There are three categories in the festival: Independent, Competitions, and One-minute film category. All the categories are open for everyone under some specifications. Anyone from anywhere globally can submit the film to the Independent Category, where the best film will be receiving the “DIMFF Best Film   award. For the “Cinemascope Best Film   award, the university students worldwide have to compete under the Competition Category. The One-minute Film Category is for children in grades 1 through 12, and the winning film will receive the “ULAB Young Filmmaker   award. The longest film in the Competition Category is ten minutes long. On the other hand, in the One Minute Film category, the length must be exactly one minute, including the title and credit line. For Independent Category, film length can be from one minute to full feature-length.

Film submission will be accepted until September 23rd, 2021.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) has arranged three days-long discussion sessions on “Exploring Personal Cinema: Relevance, Possibilities, and Vigilance” from an open and theoretical perspective. There were three prestigious speakers for each episode. This entire event was conducted on the online platform, Zoom at 7:00 pm.

On the first day, September 2nd, Mahmudul Hossain, a film critic, and writer, discussed personal filmmaking’s lexical and practical context. According to Mahmudul Hossain, personal filmmaking is usually conducted by one man with private funds. This art style is opening new windows for those filmmakers who are not interested in making traditional generic films. They moreover prefer to express emotions and other aspects of life through their movies. Throughout the discussion, Mahmudul Hossain showcased a few of the films of Jonas Mekus, Lithuanian -American filmmaker, Humaira Bilkis Dhaka-based independent filmmaker, and Agnès Varda, a French filmmaker.

September 4th, in the 2nd episode, the Independent filmmaker Debashish Das constructed the idea: what motivates the filmmakers to create personal cinema and why? Debashish Das explained that personal filmmaking could be an example of home craft video to accelerate the current situation of cinema. Moreover, the narrative style of personal cinema is unique from regular cinemas since it has a different aura.

Manzare Hassin, a prominent documentary filmmaker and teacher, was the last speaker at this three-day event. On September 6th, he started his discussion by saying, ‘Personal cinema is the cinema of the filmmakers’. Moreover, according to him, “Personal cinema is the most humane project.” With its quantitative style, personal cinema unconditionally and unashamedly represents society, said Manzare Hassin.

Each day of the three-day event concluded with a question and answer session. Every session was very interactive, where the participants raised questions and shared their thoughts with much enthusiasm and a keen interest in ‘exploring personal cinema’. Some prominent independent filmmakers, film critics, and media personalities were also present at this event.

On September 6th, at the end of this three-day event, Mohammad Shazzad Hossain, advisor Dhaka International mobile film Festival 2022 and asst. professor at the Department of Media Studies and Journalism, ULAB, read out the declaration jointly composed by the documentary filmmaker and teacher Manzare Hassin Murad, Mahmudul Hossain, film critic and writer, independent filmmaker Debashish Das. The event ends with the Vote of Thanks from Dr. Kabil Khan, asst. professor at the Department of Media Studies and Journalism, ULAB.

‘Introduction to Mobile Filmmaking, Filmmaking for everyone’ is an online course that guides the new generation to express their ideas and creativity through mobile devices. Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) is an outreach program of the Media Studies and Journalism department of ULAB, conducting this e-learning course. The course design is for young school and college-going students from grade VI to XII to give them a complete understanding and first-hand experience on making films using smartphones.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, DIMFF, throughout their festival calendar, used to conduct a One-Minute Mobile Filmmaking Workshop at their campus. However, keeping DIMFF’s commitment towards the younger filmmakers, DIMFF has taken this platform from offline to online in the pandemic state. Previously, DIMFF has conducted two sessions of this filmmaking course in the Summer 2020 semester and Fall 2020 semester. Each of these sessions was eight weeks long.

This time, the filmmaking course will be for two weeks, i.e., every Friday and Saturday starting from July 23rd 2021. Dr Kabil Khan, the advisor of DIMFF, says, “This time, we are offering two slots so that we can engage with participants in a more meaningful way, keeping the student-faculty ratio in mind.” Timings are morning 11 am to 12:30 pm and in the afternoon from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. This course has four units and provides students with a realistic approach for mobile filmmaking on iPhone/Android smartphones. After completing this course, the students will earn a certificate from the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and submit their films to any international film festival.

DIMFF is partnering with Initiative fur Neue Buildung (IFNB) for this online filmmaking course. DIMFF collaborated with IFNB as a Partner for Change. DIMFF will ensure ten learners’ participation and engagement from Barishal Nook through this partnership. IFBN’s Country Representative Ehsan Kabir states, “We do have an opportunity to build aspiration for a generation during a time of crisis and that too, cannot be done without united approach hence as a team we believe in partnering for change and coming up with innovative solutions for the community.”

Thirty-four students have been selected from forty-one registered participants for this course who are all set to start the classes on July 23rd 2021.

Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival promises to bring an exciting new activity for its members, campus ambassadors, and film enthusiasts from around the world so that they can connect on one platform. In this year’s work plan, DIMFF proposes to add something exciting that will mitigate the quench for knowledge while providing entertainment.

‘Behind the Lens  , film screening and discussion event, kick-starts with Jai Sharma’s ‘So Sicily   screening. At the closing event of DIMFF 2021, this film has been screened under the screening category as a finalist. ‘So Sicily   has also been screened at the 10th International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego, California.

This program is the newest addition to DIMFF’s regular activities focusing on the apparent need to talk about those mobile films showcased in various festivals. Participants will have first-hand experience talking to the selected film directors and learning a lot from their filmmaking journey. DIMFF encourages everyone to understand the basics of step-by-step film production. Through this film screening, the participants will watch the film first. Then the filmmaker will explain pre-production, production, post-production, details about the movie like- framing, lighting, colors, device usage. But most importantly, they will discuss their storytelling method.

Jai Sharma started his journey 17 years back as an assistant director and has assisted Mr Wes Anderson in The Darjeeling Limited then continued his work in movies such as Delhi- 6, 3 Idiots, PK, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do, Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories, Ferrari Ki Sawaari, and many others. He has also co-produced/associate produced several short-length films, which have gone to festivals globally.

This session was held on Friday, 16th July 2021, at 4:00 pm on the online platform Google meet. 147 participants have registered for this workshop and 71 of them showed up in the session.

New generation, New tools, New communication – with this motto, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) commenced its journey back in 2015, mainly to inspire people to create films using mobile phones.

The 8th DIMFF 2022   is open for film submission till 23rd September 2021. The final festival event of DIMFF will be held on February 25 & 26, 2022.