Guwahati Asian Film Festival opens second edition with 26 films from 10 countries

The second edition of the Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF) begins today, January 22, positioning the Northeast once again as a meeting point for Asian cinema with a line-up of 26 regional, national and international films drawn from 10 countries.

The festival opens with Sunday, an Uzbek film directed by Shokir Kholikov, setting the tone for a programme that blends acclaimed international works with strong Indian voices. The opening day also marks the India premiere of Japanese film S, directed by Masahiro Ota, alongside An Evening Ballad by Bishal Swargiary, screened in the Indian Showcase (non-competition) section.

GAFF Festival Director (honorary) Monita Borgohain said, “GAFF 2026 promises to be bigger and better, continuing its celebration of the rich diversity of Asian cinema, with more filmmakers from outside the region joining the event.” She added that the response from audiences during the first edition encouraged the organisers to scale up the festival this year.

Over the next four days, the festival will screen films from Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Iran, Kazakhstan and China. Alongside these, a wide range of Indian films will be showcased in multiple languages, including Marathi, Bajjika, Malayalam, Hindi, Tulu, Nepali, Assamese, Karbi, Bodo, Mising, Manipuri and Bengali, underlining both regional and national linguistic diversity.

Beyond screenings, GAFF 2026 will host masterclasses, panel discussions and interactive sessions with filmmakers, critics and industry professionals from India and across Asia. According to the organisers, the selections were curated from more than 200 submissions, including 90 films from outside India. “Positioned as the only Asian film festival of its kind in this part of the country, it has carved a unique space in India’s cultural landscape by bringing Asian cinema to the Northeast,” the statement said.

GAFF 2026 is organised by Trending Now Media with support from the National Film Development Corporation and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.