Guwahati: The third edition of the Niri9 International Film Festival will take place on January 10 and 11, 2025, in Hyderabad, showcasing socially relevant and internationally acclaimed cinema.
The festival will be inaugurated by Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma.
The festival will also feature prominent personalities, including Bollywood actor Seema Biswas, singer Lou Majaw, international vocalist Carlyta Mouhini, and former Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Ajit Borthakur.
This year’s opening film will be the critically acclaimed supernatural thriller Dahini – The Witch (2022), directed by Rajesh Touchriver and starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, J.D. Chakravarthy, and Sruthy Jayan.
Dahini has earned international recognition, winning Best Feature Film at the Titan International Film Festival, Best International Feature Film at the Pacific Beach International Festival, and receiving a nomination at the Swedish International Film Festival. Its selection as the opening film highlights the festival’s focus on narratives that combine compelling storytelling with global appeal.
In addition, the festival will host special screenings of the Indian film Kooki, directed by Pranab J. Deka, and critically acclaimed The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of Four Daughters.
Kooki explores the harrowing realities of sexual violence and systemic failures in the justice system through the eyes of a teenage survivor. The film confronts the normalization of sexual crimes in society and urges audiences to listen to voices that are often silenced, making it one of the most powerful contemporary Indian films addressing the issue.
The Voice of Hind Rajab draws on real emergency call recordings surrounding the final moments of six-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza. Premiered at major international festivals including Venice and Toronto, the film is a haunting testament to cinema’s capacity to preserve memory, truth, and humanity.
ALSO READ: Global K-pop sensation BTS announces comeback with new album in March
With its carefully curated lineup, the Niri9 International Film Festival 2025 aims to celebrate films that challenge, inspire, and provoke reflection on critical social and human issues, while providing a platform for both Indian and global filmmakers.
