Aditya Srivastava, Manoj Pahwa, Rajesh & More To Attend Himachal Pradesh’s First International Film Festival

The Dev Bhoomi International Film Festival (DBIFF) is all set to mark a historic first for Himachal Pradesh as the state's first international film festival. Bringing together celebrated actors including Aditya Srivastava, Manoj Pahwa, Rajesh Tailang, Rajesh Jais, Brijendra Kala, and Yashpal Sharma, the festival aims to create a platform for meaningful cinema, cinematic dialogue, and audience engagement.

The festival is spearheaded by filmmaker Pawan Kumar Sharma, whose directorial works including Brina, Karim Mohammed, and Vanrakshak have been screened at prestigious film festivals across the world and have earned several awards and accolades.

Sharing the vision behind the festival, Sharma said, "We want to bring quality cinema to Himachal Pradesh and showcase films that audiences here rarely get an opportunity to watch. Our focus is on meaningful stories that address social issues such as education, anti-drug awareness, and family relationships, while making global cinema accessible to people living in the mountains and rural areas."

Emphasizing the festival's unique approach, he added, "Many film festivals today focus heavily on awards and entertainment programs. Our focus is cinema itself-screening good films, discussing storytelling, and exploring how digital cinema can grow in smaller cities."

The festival is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all. "We want everyone-from shopkeepers to students and families-to feel like a part of this festival. Cinema should belong to the people, and that's why the entire festival will be free of cost," Sharma said.

Apart from film screenings, audiences will get an opportunity to interact with renowned actors from the industry, who will share their journeys, struggles, and experiences. Sharma believes these stories can serve as inspiration for aspiring artists and young audiences.

DBIFF plans to showcase more than twenty films, including five feature films and fifteen short films, ensuring a diverse cinematic experience for audiences across the region.

Adding further prestige to the festival, the jury panel includes National Award-winning cinematographer Subhransu Das, best known for his work on The Last Colour.