Guwahati: The Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF) is set to return with an expanded showcase of cinema from across the continent, reaffirming Guwahati’s growing presence on the Asian film circuit. The second edition of the festival will be held from January 22 to 25 at Jyoti Chitraban in Kahilipara.
GAFF 2026 will present a curated selection of 26 films drawn from 10 Asian countries, offering audiences four days of screenings, conversations and creative exchange.
The festival’s competition segment will feature eight films, while the broader programme brings together works from Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Iran, Kazakhstan and China.
The opening film will be Sunday, an Uzbek feature directed by Shokir Kholikov, while the closing night will screen the Iranian film In the Land of Brothers, co-directed by Alireza Ghasemi and Raha Amirfazli.
Celebrated filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli will attend the event as Chief Guest, and actor Sonali Kulkarni is slated to be the Special Guest at the closing ceremony.
Indian cinema will occupy a prominent space at the festival, with films representing a wide range of languages including Marathi, Malayalam, Hindi and Nepali, alongside several from the Northeast such as Assamese, Karbi, Bodo, Mishing and Manipuri.
Organisers said the line-up reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of Indian storytelling.
Honorary Festival Director Monita Borgohain said the encouraging response to GAFF’s inaugural edition in February 2025 prompted the organisers to scale up the festival this year.
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She noted that more than 200 films were submitted for consideration, including around 90 entries from international filmmakers.
Beyond screenings, GAFF 2026 will host masterclasses, panel discussions and interactive sessions featuring filmmakers, critics and industry professionals from India and other Asian nations.
These engagements are aimed at fostering dialogue on filmmaking practices, emerging voices and contemporary cinematic trends.
Positioned as a dedicated platform for Asian cinema in the Northeast, the festival is being organised by Trending Now Media with support from the National Film Development Corporation and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
