Dharamshala International Film Festival

The Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) was started in 2012 by filmmakers and Dharamshala residents, Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam. It is presented through their non-profit organisation, White Crane Arts & Media Trust, which aims to promote contemporary art, cinema and independent media practices in the Indian Himalayan region.

DIFF is held annually in McLeod Ganj, a town with no cinemas that is best known as the exile home of the Dalai Lama. Focusing on showcasing the best of independent films from India and around the world, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic and adventurous programming, its beautiful mountain setting, and its intimate and cinema-literate atmosphere. DIFF attracts top indie filmmakers and film lovers from across India and abroad. The Asian Age called the festival “India’s Sundance”.

DIFF also runs the annual DIFF Film Fellows programme, which selects five aspiring filmmakers from the Indian Himalayan regions and brings them to the festival where they watch films, interact with filmmakers and have one-on-one mentorship sessions.

DIFF has an extensive community outreach programme and organises film screenings and discussions at local villages, community centres, schools, colleges and at the Dharamshala District Jail. DIFF also collaborates with local organisations, trusts, NGOs and community workers to reach out to marginalised communities in and around Dharamshala.

The festival is held each year at the end of October or beginning of November.