The Dharamshala International Film Festival is returning for its 2025 edition. But in the year since the last edition, a lot has changed in the region that hosts this prestigious celebration of cinema. Himachal Pradesh was ravaged by flash floods and landslides earlier this year, which affected parts of Dharmashala too. In the aftermath of that, the festival is not just returning but also bringing back one of its chief attractions – the portable movie theatre from PictureTime. The team tells us how they battled a wide variety of challenges to make that happen.

Both an emotional and logistical test

“Coming back to Dharamshala this year was both an emotional and logistical test,” says Sushil Chaudhary, Founder & CEO of Picturetime, “The region had endured a difficult season, and we were very conscious of that while planning the setup. The terrain here is always demanding, but after the monsoon devastation, the challenges were compounded — access routes had changed, local infrastructure was still recovering, and even weather unpredictability had to be factored.”

But the return was more than just academic or even a business decision. It was about making cinema possible anywhere. “Bringing it back to Dharamshala, against these odds, reaffirmed that vision,” says Chaudhary.

Cinema restores normalcy

Rains and flash floods in several districts of Himachal Pradesh in August and September triggered over 90 landslides, leaving over 300 dead, and changing the topography of many places in the region. Getting back to the venue through those roads meant lots of coordination with local authorities and volunteers. Due to safety concerns, some modifications were also made, but at no point was there a thought to scale things down.

PictureTime’s inflatable theatre, one of the highlights of the festival, is also returning, and that involves logistical challenges of its own. But as Chaudhary emphasises, “When a community goes through trauma or disruption, art — and cinema in particular — becomes a bridge back to normal life. It restores a sense of collective joy, belonging, and identity.”

About DIFF 2025

The 2025 edition of Dharmshala International Film Festival begins on Thursday, 30 October, with Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound serving as the opening film. Among other films to be screened are award-winning titles like Sabar Bonda and Songs of Forgotten Trees. The festival also includes masterclasses from Kiran Rao, Adil Hussain, and Andrey A. Tarkovsky, son of the legendary Russian director, Andrei Tarkovsky. The festival comes to a close on November 2.