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Guwahati Asian Film Festival Draws Crowds with Regional Cinema Showcase

The Guwahati Asian Film Festival's second day saw enthusiastic, houseful screenings of films from Assam, Manipur, and Vietnam. The festival, showcasing 26 films from 10 Asian countries over four days, is organized with support from NFDC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The third day's lineup includes diverse features from India, Hong Kong, Mongolia, and South Korea, alongside masterclasses by critics and filmmakers. The festival aims to strengthen film culture and cross-border cultural exchange in Northeast India.

Key Points: Guwahati Asian Film Festival 2026 Sees Houseful Screenings

  • Houseful screenings on second day
  • 26 films from 10 Asian countries
  • Features workshops and masterclasses
  • Fosters cross-border cultural exchange
2 min read

Guwahati Asian Film Festival continues to surge with crowd-pulling screenings

The 2026 Guwahati Asian Film Festival surges with packed screenings, 26 films from 10 Asian countries, and masterclasses on indie filmmaking.

"Positioned as the only Asian film festival of its kind in this part of the country - Official Release"

Guwahati, Jan 23

The second day of the 2026 edition of the Guwahati Asian Film Festival at Jyoti Chitraban built on the momentum of its opening day, witnessing houseful screenings and strong audience engagement, officials said on Friday.

According to an official statement, five films from Assam, Manipur and Vietnam were screened during the day, drawing enthusiastic footfall across categories. The festival celebrates the richness of Asian and Indian cinema through a curated lineup of 26 films screened over four days.

The festival is organised by Trending Now Media with support from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

Meanwhile, on January 24 (Saturday), the third day of the festival will feature Assamese film 'River Tales' (Noi Kotha) by Dr Pankaj Borah, Marathi feature 'Blossoming Almond' by Nehal Ghodke, Malayalam film 'Victoria' by Sivaranjini, Tulu film 'Imbu' by Shivdhwaj Shetty, Bengali film 'Parobasi' (Ethnic Migration) by Monet Roy Saha, 'Let's Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai' by Brian Hung (Hong Kong), 'If Only I Could Hibernate' by Zoljargal Purevdash (Mongolia), 'A Poet of the River' by Jungkook Han (South Korea), and Assamese film 'Kok Kok Kokook' by Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap.

The third day will also feature three engaging workshops, masterclasses and in-conversation sessions aimed at strengthening discussion on film culture in the region. A masterclass on 'Ways of Sensing Cinema: Film Review and Appreciation' by film critic Christopher Dalton will guide audiences on critical viewing and analysis.

Filmmaker Utpal Borpujari and filmmaker, educator and curator Anupama Bose will also lead a discussion on 'Indie Films: How to Navigate Funds, Festivals and Futures'.

The second edition of GAFF will continue till January 25 at Jyoti Chitraban, Guwahati, showcasing 26 regional, national and international films from across 10 Asian countries.

Positioned as the only Asian film festival of its kind in this part of the country, GAFF has carved a unique space in India's cultural landscape by bringing Asian cinema to the Northeast and fostering sustained cross-border cultural exchange, the official release mentioned.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Houseful screenings on the second day itself? Wah! This shows the growing appetite for good, curated cinema beyond just Bollywood. The workshop on funding for indie films is a much-needed initiative. Many talented filmmakers from the region struggle with that.
A
Anupama Bose
As someone involved in the festival, it's truly rewarding to see such an engaged audience. The questions after the screenings and the enthusiasm in the masterclasses prove that Assam has a vibrant, cinema-literate community ready to embrace stories from across Asia.
V
Vikram M
Great initiative, but I do hope the festival finds a way to be more accessible to the common public in the coming years. Right now, it feels a bit niche. Maybe more screenings in different halls or lower-priced passes could help. The content is brilliant, should reach more people.
S
Sarah B
I'm visiting from Canada and happened to catch the Manipuri film yesterday. What a powerful experience! It's amazing to see such a well-organized international festival here. The focus on cross-border cultural exchange through cinema is a beautiful concept.
K
Karthik V
"Let's Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai" from Hong Kong! Just the title makes me smile. 😄 It's wonderful to see our everyday Indian culture inspiring film titles abroad. This festival is putting Guwahati on the global cultural map. More power to GAFF!

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