22-25 JANUARY, JYOTI CHITRABAN

Welcome To GAFF

A vibrant celebration of Asian cinema in the heart of Guwahati City - a cultural crossroads where stories, voices, and visions from across the continent come together. Each edition of the festival aims to bring the richness and diversity of Asian storytelling to audiences in Assam, creating a unique platform for filmmakers, cinephiles, and cultural enthusiasts to connect, engage, and inspire.

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GAFF FRAMES 2026

asian cinema

indian showcase
(cOMPETITION)

indian showcase
(NON-cOMPETITION)

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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Where cinema speaks and stories breathe.
Join Girish Kasaravalli, the master storyteller, in an insightful interaction at GAFF.

25 January (Saturday) | 4 PM

Guwahati Asian Film Festival 2026 proudly honours Bishnu Kharghoria, one of Indian cinema’s most revered veteran actors, celebrating a lifetime of unforgettable performances and enduring contributions to Assamese cinema. Marked by landmark roles and prestigious accolades, his illustrious career stands as a testament to timeless cinematic excellence.

#GAFF #lifetimeachievement

What does it really take to be an indie film producer today?

Join Utpal Borpujari and Anupama Bose for an open-air dialogue on Navigating Funds, Festivals & Futures

24 Jan | 4 PM | GAFF

What’s Playing When at GAFF26? - 25 January | Jyoti Chitraban

What’s Playing When at GAFF26? - 24 January | Jyoti Chitraban

What’s Playing When at GAFF26? - 23 January | Jyoti Chitraban

What’s Playing When at GAFF26? Find Your Film

22 -25 January at Jyoti Chitraban

Asian stories. New voices. First time in India.

Catch three films in the 'Asian film category' premiering in India at GAFF.

22–25 January | Jyoti Chitraban.

#gaff2026

In Indian Showcase Special Screening

Kok Kok Kokoook
Assamese
Directed by @the_hobo_storyteller

After a minister’s relative dies in a road accident, police hunt a red RX100. Siken, a chicken seller living on the fringes as an illegal Muslim migrant, becomes paranoid and decides to abandon his beloved motorcycle. Haunted by loss and paranoia, and pursued by migrant Abebe, Siken’s grief warps reality, driving him toward a disturbing end.

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Porobashi (Ethnic Migration)
Bengali
Directed by @rebels_make_history

Amid 1960s communal violence in East Pakistan, freedom fighter Nimai flees to India, losing his daughter Ashima. Sheltered by indigenous villagers in Tripura, he rebuilds life as a teacher. Love, identity, and unrest collide as Ashima returns as Amina, tragedy strikes, and a shattered Nimai is forced to flee once more.

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

The Woodcutter (Gos Kota Manuh)
Assamese
Directed by @prakash_maverick

Bonojit, a gifted folk musician, risks his life as a woodcutter to support his family. When his daughter Munu is bullied for his work and grows afraid of him, he is shattered. Seeking dignity and redemption, Bonojit returns to music, embarking on a transformative journey driven by love, struggle, and hope.

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Yakasik Omédé (Yakasi’s Daughter)
Mising
Directed by Dr Jayanta Madhab Dutta

Fourteen-year-old school dropout Jariyum and her 17-year-old fiancé Migam belong to the Mising community, living on a flood-prone riverine island in Upper Assam. Amid poverty and fragile infrastructure, Jariyum dreams of a better married life. Elopement promises hope - or repeats her mother Yakasi’s cycle of hardship.

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Ganaraag
Assamese
Directed by Dip Bhuyan

Ganaraag portrays Ojapali, Assam’s traditional art form, used in a political campaign. After the mysterious death of lead performer Ratna halts the troupe, party worker Bina challenges patriarchy by forming an all-women Ojapali group, reviving the campaign- only to face unexpected consequences.

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Phouoibee (The Goddess of Paddy)
Manipuri/Meiteilon
Directed by @rakeshmoirangthem

A caretaker of an old-age home encounters a mentally unstable man, Iboyaima, from a remote village. Meeting his daughter and brother, he learns of their fragile hopes tied to sharecropping and faith in the Phouoibee goddess. An attack by unknown miscreants shatters their dreams, leaving Iboyaima disabled and the family in profound distress.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Blossoming Almond
Marathi
Directed by @nehalghodkefilm

Lata, a 30-year-old unmarried woman in a small Indian town, navigates solitude under the quiet pressure of conformity. Inspired by Van Gogh’s Blossoming Almond, her inner world begins to bloom. The film captures a restrained yet powerful feminist awakening, reflecting loneliness, dignity, and silent resistance.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Non-Competition

Mwnabili (An Evening Ballad)
Bodo
Directed by @bishalswargiary_

Set in a small village along the India–Bhutan border, this Bodo-language film explores resilience, hope, and love through the journey of Mwnabili, a single mother striving to survive and assert herself within a deeply patriarchal society.

#GAFF2026

Celebrate cinema over four vibrant days of films, ideas, and conversations. One delegate pass gives you access to all the screenings, workshops, guest interactions, and more.

Register now on our official website.

#gaff2026 #asiancinema #filmfestival #cinemabeyondborders

In Indian Showcase Competition

IMBU
Tulu
Directed by Shivadhwaj Shetty

In a vibrant rural community, devout Balanna, illiterate yet generous, discovers digital wonders through a mobile phone. A scam shatters his savings and status, challenging his spiritual life. The film explores trust, resilience, and tradition clashing with technology.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

RADOR PAKHI (Morning Sunshine)
Assamese
Directed by @drbobbysarmabaruah

Jyoti, an aspiring writer, from the Indian State of Assam, is destined to be bedridden as she is diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at a tender age. A battle she is fated to fight for life. Even though life was hostile to her, Jyoti does not let her sufferings take better of her. Torn between her obligations towards her family and her aspirations, she decides to fight against all odds to lead an independent life in becoming an acclaimed author. Jyoti has seen the worst of times where many lose hope, but she accepts her life as a challenge with open arms to become her ideal self and inspires many.

#gaff2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

Aājoor
(Bajjika)
Directed by @aaryanchprakash

Aājoor follows 10-year-old Saloni in rural Bihar as she fights for her education, supported by her Launda dancer father, while village boys grapple with identity in the age of social media.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

Kangbo Aloti (The Lost Path)
(Karbi)
Directed by @khanjankishorenath

A local militant group from Northeast India assigned Longsing to recruit member in a remote village. He meets School teacher who opposes their activities. The group order longsing to kill him. He loses faith and leaves them and plans to change the path but his dream never comes true.

#gaff2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

NOI KOTHA (RIVER TALES)
(Assamese)
Directed by Dr Pankaj Borah

Tilou’s fishing community, rooted in generations of traditional river-based livelihoods, is forced to confront drastic change due to shifting political and economic forces. Restrictive regulations threaten their indigenous way of life, severing ties to nature, culture, and tradition. As the Ratuwa River, their lifeline, gradually disappears, Tilou and his people continue to struggle, knowing their lives can never return to what they once were.

#GAFF2026

Across the Indian Showcase category - spanning both competition and non-competition sections - 10 outstanding films from Northeast India have been selected, representing the region’s rich linguistic diversity and featuring works by five debut directors.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

SHAPE OF MOMO
(Nepali)
Directed by @tribenyrai

The story revolves around Bishnu and her multi-generational family of women navigating patriarchal norms, grappling with the decision to either adapt to or challenge these norms in pursuit of their goals. It is a poignant reflection on the complexities of identity and freedom within a traditional community.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

CHEWING GUM
(Hindi)
Directed by @pahadimamti

Ajay and Radhika, teenage sweethearts from a small Himachal village, part ways to chase their dreams. Years later, Ajay returns unsuccessful to find Radhika married and settled in the village. Their reunion revives buried emotions amid the village’s watchful gaze. Chewing Gum explores love, regret, and second chances.

#GAFF2026

In Indian Showcase Competition

VICTORIA
(MALAYALAM)
Directed by @siva.ranjini

Victoria is a Malayalam film about a young beautician who plans to elope with her Hindu boyfriend after clashing with her conservative Catholic parents. When she is asked to temporarily shelter a festival offering rooster in her beauty parlour, the chaos that follows, along with her boyfriend’s uncertainty leads her to a day of intense emotional and spiritual realization.

#gaff2026

GAFF Asian Cinema — Official Selection

Bringing together compelling voices from across the continent, the Asian Cinema section at the Guwahati Asian Film Festival presents a powerful lineup of contemporary films that reflect Asia’s diverse realities, emotions, and cinematic languages.

Selected Films:

• Cu Li Never Cries
Dir. Pham Ngoc Lan | Vietnam

• If Only I Could Hibernate
Dir. Zoljargal Purevdash | Mongolia

• Sunday
Dir. Shokir Kholikov | Uzbekistan

• A Poet of the River
Dir. Jungkook Han | South Korea

• In the Land of Brothers
Dir. Raha Amirfazli, Alireza Ghasemi | Iran

• Ma Cry of Silence
Dir. The Maw Naing | Myanmar

• The Shore of Life
Dir. Zhang Chi | China

• Cadet
Dir. Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Kazakhstan

• Let’s Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai
Dir. Brian Hung | Hong Kong

• S
Dir. Masahiro Ota | Japan

#GAFF2026 #AsianCinema #AsianFilms #WorldCinema #IndependentCinema CinemaBeyondBorders

GAFF Indian Showcase — Non-Competition

A celebration of stories beyond competition, the Indian Showcase (Non-Competition) section at the Guwahati Asian Film Festival presents a rich mosaic of voices, cultures, and cinematic expressions from across India.

Selected Films:

• An Evening Ballad
Bodo | Dir. Bishal Swargiary

• Blossoming Almond
Marathi | Dir. Nehal S. Ghodke

• Porobasi (The Ethnic Migration)
Bengali | Dir. Monet Roy Saha

• Ganaraag
Assamese | Dir. Dip Bhuyan

• Phouoibee (The Goddess of Paddy)
Manipuri | Dir. Rakesh Moirangthem

• Gos Kota Manuh (The Woodcutter)
Assamese | Dir. Prakash Deka

• Yakasik Omédé (Yakasi’s Daughter)
Mising | Dir. Dr. Jayanta Madhab Dutta

• Kok Kok Kokoook (Special screening)
Assamese | Dir. Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap

#GAFF2026 #IndianShowcase #NonCompetition #SpecialScreening #IndianCinema RegionalCinema StoriesFromIndia

GAFF Indian Showcase (Competition) — Official Selection

Celebrating the finest voices of Indian cinema, the Indian Showcase (Competition) at Guwahati Asian Film Festival brings together powerful stories from across languages, regions, and cultures.

Selected Films:

• Ajoor
Bajjika | Dir. Aaryan Chandra Prakash

• Chewing Gum
Hindi | Dir. Abhay Sharma

• Imbu
Tulu | Dir. Shiva Dhwaj Shetty

• Rador Pakhi (The Morning Sunshine)
Assamese | Dir. Dr. Bobby Sarma Baruah

• Noi Kotha (River Tales)
Assamese | Dir. Dr. Pankaj Borah

• Shape of Momo
Nepali | Dir. Tribeny Rai

• Kangbo A Loti (The Lost Path)
Karbi | Dir. Khanjan Kishore Nath

• Victoria
Malayalam | Dir. Sivaranjini

#GAFF2026 #IndianShowcase #CompetitionFilms #IndianCinema #RegionalCinema IndependentFilms CinemaOfIndia

GAFF 2026 official selection announcement on January 5. Stay tuned!

#GAFF2026

GAFF2026 Line-Up

CU LINever CRIES
Dir. Pham Ngoc Lan
🇻🇳

The finest stories are ready to be unveiled.
Announcing soon!

#GAFF2026

GAFF2026 Line-Up

IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE
Dir. Zoljargal Purevdash
🇲🇳

Over 200 submissions. Only the best of cinema selected!

#GAFF2026

As we welcome the New Year, the Guwahati Asian Film Festival extends its warmest wishes to filmmakers, artists, cinephiles and collaborators across the world. May the year ahead be filled with bold stories, meaningful cinema, creative collaborations and new voices that inspire and resonate.

We look forward to celebrating the spirit of Asian and Indian independent cinema together at GAFF 2026.

Happy New Year!

#GAFF2026

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

S
Dir. Masahiro Ota
🇯🇵

Masahiro Ota’s Japanese film S offers a compelling, tightly observed exploration of friendship, memory, and moral ambiguity. Through the arrest of filmmaker Shinichi Someda and the uneasy reunion of his former theatre friends, the film subtly exposes buried emotions and conflicting motives, building quiet yet powerful tension.

#GAFF2026 #asiancinema

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

Let’s Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai
Dir. Kwong Yin Brian Hung
🇭🇰

Hong Kong director Kwong Yin Brian Hung’s Let’s Have a Cup of Doodh Patti Chai explores a family’s life after moving to the city’s most ethnically diverse township, where an unemployed father partners with an Indian businessman, a teenage daughter befriends an African asylum seeker, and an anxious mother grapples with the resulting cultural tensions—exposing conflicting views on race within the household.

#GAFF2026 #asiancinema

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

A POET OF THE RIVER
Dir. Jungkook Han
🇰🇷

South Korean director Jungkook Han’s A Poet of the River follows a North Korean teenage defector as she struggles to survive in South Korea, haunted by longing for her lost sister. Amid a group of runaway youths, she finds fragile bonds of belonging- until a sudden tragedy irrevocably alters her path.

#gaff2026 #AsianCinema

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

THE SHORE OF LIFE
Dir. Zhang Chi
🇨🇳

Chinese director Zhang Chi’s The Shore of Life follows Ying Nuo, a terminally ill single mother, as she gently prepares to bid farewell to her life. Accompanied by her young daughter, Diu Diu, and her father, Lao Ying, the film unfolds as an intimate and moving journey of love, acceptance, and togetherness at the edge of parting.

#GAFF2026

We are honoured to welcome legendary filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli to the Guwahati Asian Film Festival 2026. A towering figure in Indian cinema, his work continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and cinephiles.

#GAFF2026

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE
Dir. Zoljargal Purevdash
🇲🇳

Marking the first Mongolian film to premiere in the Cannes Film Festival and compete in Un Certain Regard, and Mongolia’s official entry to the 97th Academy Awards, debutant Zoljargal Purevdash’s film tells the story of Ulzii, a determined teenager from a poor neighborhood of Ulaanbaatar striving to win a physics competition and change his future.

22-25 January, 2026, Jyoti Chitraban

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

SUNDAY
Dir. Shokir Kholikov
🇺🇿

Winner of the Best Film (Asian New Talent) award at the Shanghai International Film Festival and acclaimed in numerous prestigious film festivals, debutant Uzbek director Shokir Kholikov’s 'Sunday' gently explores the impact of modern comforts on an elderly Uzbek couple living an emotional traditional way of life.

22-25 January, 2026, Jyoti Chitraban

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

MA - CRY OF SILENCE
Dir. The Maw Naing
🇲🇲

Premiered at the 29th Busan International Film Festival and later showcased at the Göteborg Film Festival 2025 for its European premiere, the film traces the daily life, trauma, and unspoken pain of a young textile worker, as observed with intimate sensitivity by director The Maw Naing.

22-25 January, 2026, Jyoti Chitraban

Online delegate registration for GAFF is open. Experience four days of cinema, conversations, and culture. Dive into unforgettable moments from Asian and Indian cinema gems. Visit our official website gaff dot co dot in to get your passes.

#GAFF2026 #CinemaUnites #AsianCinema

#GAFF2026 Line-Up

IN THE LAND OF BROTHERS
Dir. Raha Amirfazli, Alireza Ghasemi
🇮🇷

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2024 and winner of the Directing Award World Cinema Dramatic Competition, Raha Amirfazli and Alireza Ghasemi’s 'In the land of Brothers' unfolds in the shadow of the US invasion, following an extended Afghan refugee family as they begin new lives in Iran. Unaware of the heavy price demanded of those deemed outsiders, the film traces intersecting lives shaped by displacement, isolation, and the quiet burden of sacrifice within an environment that remains deeply (un)welcoming.

22-25 January, 2026, Jyoti Chitraban

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