A scene from the Malayalam film “Level Cross” starring Asif Ali. The film was directed by Arfaz Ayub. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Guwahati: The three-day Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF) 2025 from February 7 will showcase the best of Asian cinema with a Caucasian-Central Asian flavour.
The highlight of the inaugural edition of GAFF at Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio in Guwahati will be a set of films from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – countries not usually associated with film production in the North-Eastern region.
These films include cool as marble Directed by Asif Rustamov from Azerbaijan, joktau Directed by Aruan Anarte from Kazakhstan, and Home Directed by Jamshid Narzikulov from Uzbekistan.
A scene from the Iranian film “Captain”. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The festival will start with an Iranian film ‘In the arms of the tree’‘Directed by Babak Khazehpasha. the closing film will be ‘Y Melbourne By Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das, Onir and Kabir Khan, a quartet of Indian directors.
“GAFF 2025 is envisioned to be a vibrant celebration of Asia’s rich storytelling traditions. Each film has been carefully selected to be a transformative cinematic journey, connecting cultures and fostering meaningful conversations,” said Honorary Festival Director Monita Borgohain.
Over 200 films were produced for the festival from across Asia, representing countries such as Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Turkey in addition to the Caucasian and Central Asian regions.
two films- great phuket By Liu Yaonam of Hong Kong and not what you think By Türkiye’s Vuslat Saracoglu – will have its Indian premiere at GAFF 2025.
A special competitive section exclusively for films from the North-East will recognize outstanding achievements in categories including Best Film, Best Direction and Best Performance, celebrating creativity, technical excellence and storytelling.
Organized by Trending Now Media, the event will also host panel discussions and workshops led by renowned filmmakers and industry experts to promote meaningful dialogue and collaboration. It will provide an opportunity for filmmakers, actors and enthusiasts to network and explore future creative projects.
Honorary Program Director Kishore Kumar Sarma said, “This is an excellent opportunity for cine lovers to enjoy the finest cinematic masterpieces from across Asia.”
Organizers said Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage will be the chief guest of the film festival. Film critic and festival advisor Srinivas Santhanam, National Award-winning film critic and filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, National Award-winning filmmaker Manju Bora and leading film critic-editor Dalton Christopher will be integral parts of GAFF.
published – January 22, 2025 11:19 am IST
