DIFF 2025: Homebound To Songs Of Forgotten Trees – Here's The Full Lineup Of Dharamshala International Film Festival

Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) is back with its 14th edition, which runs from October 30 to November 2, 2025, at Tibetan Children’s Village in Upper Dharamshala. Like every year, this year also DIFF brings a global selection of pathbreaking cinema to the Himalayan foothills, offering Indian audiences early access to acclaimed films, masterclasses with renowned filmmakers, and thought-provoking discussions that shape the future of cinema in the region.

Neeraj Ghaywan's acclaimed film Homebound is the Opening Night Film for DIFF 2025. Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, is an exploration of ambition, loyalty and the complex realities of rural India – a perfect choice for a festival deeply rooted in stories of place and identity.

After last year’s successful partnership, DIFF has continued its collaboration with Sydney Film Festival, and it will showcase two acclaimed Australian films and their filmmakers in this year’s lineup–Lesbian Space Princess by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, and The Wolves Always Come at Night by Gabrielle Brady. The film is Australia’s 2025 entry to the Oscars.

A masterclass with filmmaker Kiran Rao will be the highlight of this year's DIFF. The Laapataa Ladies director will reflect on her cinematic journey, the changing landscape of independent film, and what it means to tell bold, meaningful stories today.

Here are the films lined up for DIFF 2025:

I, The Song – Dechen Roder (Bhutan, Norway)

A schoolteacher accused of appearing in a non-consensual video embarks on a journey to prove her innocence by finding her lookalike in southern Bhutan. The film is Bhutan’s 2025 entry to the Oscars.

Sabar Bonda – Rohan Parashuram Kanawade (India, Canada, UK)

A romantic drama about Anand, who returns to his hometown after a family death and rekindles a connection with his childhood friend Balya. Rohan Kanawade’s feature directorial debut explores love, loss and belonging. It premiered at Sundance 2025 and won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic.

Kneecap - Rich Peppiatt (Ireland, UK)

A wild, irreverent biopic about the rise of the Irish-language rap trio Kneecap, blending political satire, music and youthful rebellion in Belfast’s charged landscape.

Orwell 2+2=5 – Raoul Peck (United States, France)

A bold documentary that reinterprets Orwell’s 1984 for the age of misinformation, from the Oscar-nominated director of I Am Not Your Negro.

Romeria – Carla Simón (Spain, Germany)

Set against the backdrop of a rural pilgrimage, Romeria is a lyrical and intimate portrait of generational change and the quiet resilience of women in small-town Spain.

Cutting Through Rocks – Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni (Qatar, Chile, Iran, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, United States)

Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, challenges patriarchal norms by empowering teenage girls through motorcycle training and opposing child marriage, but faces backlash that threatens her identity.

Alaav – Prabhash Chandra (India)

Alaav is an intimate yet unsentimental portrayal of 63-year-old Bhaveen, a devoted son and sole caregiver to his 95-year-old mother in Delhi, capturing both the tenderness and emotional complexity of caregiving.

100 Sunset – Kunsang Kyirong (Canada)

It is a poignant drama about two young Tibetan-Canadian women in Toronto navigating friendship and cultural expectations.

The Love That Remains – Hlynur Pálmason (Iceland)

A stark yet tender exploration of love and memory set against Iceland’s haunting winter landscapes, this feature is making waves on the international festival circuit after its premiere at Cannes 2025.

Songs of Forgotten Trees – Anuparna Roy (India)

Anuparna Roy's film will be closing the film festival. It was recently honoured with the Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. Set in Mumbai, it follows a migrant actress and part-time sex worker who sublets her apartment to a newly arrived call-centre worker, as a quiet, fragile bond forms between them amid the isolation and hustle of urban life.

Andrey Tarkovsky: A Cinema Prayer – Andrey A. Tarkovsky (Russia, Italy, Sweden)

A deeply personal documentary about the great filmmaker, crafted and presented in person by Tarkovsky’s son, offering rare archival footage and meditations on cinema, faith, and artistic legacy.

This year's lineup is curated under the leadership of Bina Paul, DIFF’s Programming Director. The selection of films reflects a bold and diverse cinematic vision from across the globe.

Festival Directors Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam shared, "We never set out to become one of the most prominent independent festivals in the country. We simply believed that meaningful cinema deserved a home in the mountains."

"DIFF has grown organically over 14 years – not through flash or hype, but through the passion of filmmakers, the trust of our audiences, and the community that returns year after year. That’s what makes it so meaningful."