GAFF 2025
The Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF) 2025 Edition
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
• Iran
• Uzbekistan
• Nepal
• Kazakhstan
• Bangladesh
• Hong Kong
• Philippines
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
Inauguration Ceremony
The festival was inaugurated on February 7, 2025, by Internatioanlly acclaimed Sri Lankan Filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage along with Noted Indian Actor Sheeba Chadha in the presence of notable filmmakers, critics, and government officials. The event featured keynote addresses by festival director, and an introduction to the festival’s objectives.
Official Film Screenings
Over three days, GAFF 2025 screened 25 critically acclaimed films from across Asia as follows:
Asian Cinema
• A Lab Story – Dir: Carlo Obispo (Philippines) | 98’ | Tagalog
• In The Arms of The Tree – Dir: Babak Khajehpasha (Iran) | 82’ | Persian
• Shambhala – Dir: Min Bahadur Bham (Nepal) | 150’ | Tibetan, Nepali
• Captain – Dir: Mohammad Hamzei (Iran) | 90’
• The Stranger – Dir: Biplob Sarkar (Bangladesh) | 80’
• Not What You Think – Dir: Vuslat Saracoglu (Turkey) | 107’
• House – Dir: Jamshid Narzikulov (Uzbekistan) | 90’
• The Great Phuket – Dir: Liu Yaonam (Hong Kong) | 97’
• Joqtau – Dir: Aruan Anartay (Kazakhstan) | 70’
• A Road To A Village – Dir: Nabin Subba (Nepal) | 106’
• Cold As Marble – Dir: Asif Rustamov (Azerbaijan) | 88’
• Teach Me – Dir: Shyam Fernando (Sri Lanka) | 100’
Indian Showcase
• Level Cross – Dir: Arfaz Ayub (India) | 120’
• Bahadur The Brave – Dir: Diwa Shah (India) | 82’
• Celestina & Lawrence – Dir: Vikram Kumar (India) | 112’
• In The Name of Fire – Dir: Abhilash Sharma (India) | 98’
• Second Chance – Dir: Subhadra Mahajan (India) | 104’
• The Light Within – Dir: Promita Bhowmik (India) | 86’
North East India Films Competition (Official Selections)
• Amateurs – Dir: Dhiraj Kashyap | 78’ | Assamese
• Ata Nirjon Duporiya – Dir: Khanjan Kishore Nath | 102’ | Assamese
• Mirbeen – Dir: Mridul Gupta | 89’ | Karbi
• Before Spring – Dir: Shrutismriti Changkakoti | 86’ | Assamese
• Joseph’s Son – Dir: Haobam Paban Kumar | 83’ | Manipuri
• Collage – Dir: Amardeep Gogoi | 89’ | Assamese
Special Screenings
• Opening Film: In The Arms of The Tree, Dir: Babak Khajehpasha (Iran)
• Closing Film: My Melbourne, Dir: Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das, Onir, Kabeer Khan
NORTH EAST INDIA FILM COMPETITION
To honour outstanding films and filmmakers, GAFF 2025 presented awards in various categories:
• Best Film : Joseph's Son (Dir. Haobam Paban Kumar)
• Best Director : Shrutismriti Changkakoti (Film: Before Spring)
• Best Performance : Deepjyoti Kakati (Film: Before Spring)
• Best Music : Rewben Mashangva (Film: Joseph's Son)
• Best Screenplay : Amardeep Gogoi (Film: Collage)
• Best Cinematography : Jayanth Mathavan (Film: Before Spring)
• Best Editing : Rantu Chetia (Film: Ata Nirjon Duporiya)
• Best Sound Design : Kalesh Laxman & Bambi (Film: Before Spring)
Jury Panel - NE India Film Competition
• Prasanna Vithanage, Sri Lanka (Chairperson)
• Dr Santwana Bordoloi, India
• Akashaditya Lama, India
Preview Panel - NE India Film Competition
• Nayan Prasad (Chairperson)
• Dr Pranjal Borah
• Teenaa Kaur Pasricha
• Manikuntala Bhattacharyya
• Sagar Sangam Sarkar
• Mukul M Baishya
Selection Panel - Asian Cinema
• Bitopan Borborah
• Bhaskar Hazarika
Preview Panel - Indian Showcase
• Suraj Dowarah
• Deep Choudhury
• Kangkan Deka
• Jaicheng Xai Dohutia
• Dr Deepsikha Bhagawati
• Prerana Barbarooah
• Kalpajyoti Bhuyan