The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) is a unique artistic exploration and social entrepreneurship. It is the pioneer in Bangladesh for arranging a film festival where films are exclusively shot on mobile phones. DIMFF is the bridge that connects filmmakers to the world of storytelling by utilizing new mobile technologies. DIMFF started its journey in 2015 and gradually became an outreach program of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. With each passing year, DIMFF’s popularity is increasing, and filmmakers from around the globe are enjoying this new platform to uphold their voices.

The festival promotes ‘New generation, New tools, New communication.’ DIMFF aims to inspire and spark creativity in storytelling from people with limited income or resources and encourage filmmakers to harness their dreams and recognize the immense possibilities to accomplish them. The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival is for newness, change, and opportunity. This new generation will establish a new form of communication by overcoming race, color, religion, and ideology with their new tools. DIMFF is the platform where language cannot be a bearer while discussing issues. These young minds need the right opportunity and guidance to make this world better.

DIMFF’s lookout towards building youth entrepreneurship skills has helped them achieve 25th rank in the Entrepreneurial Spirit category of WURI 2022. World’s universities with real impact (WURI) is the first global innovative university ranking designed to inspire and value universities’ adaptable and innovative efforts to nurture their workforce that meets industry and society’s demands. Wharton–Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) also recognized DIMFF with the Social Science Silver Award in the Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2021, otherwise known as the “Oscars of Education.” The Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference is a global competition and conference that encourages educators to spot problems that prevent optimal learning and pedagogical outcomes. DIMFF shares the same mindset: everyone deserves equal opportunity to create a sustainable impact in their community.

Web address: dimff.net
Submission: filmfreeway.com/DIMFF
Social hub: ulabmediahub.net/dimff
Facebook: facebook.com/DIMFF.ULAB
Instagram: instagram.com/dimff.ulab
Twitter: twitter.com/DIMFF15
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/dimff-ulab
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@dimff_ulab
YouTube Festival: shorturl.at/hFN01
YouTube CineLab: shorturl.at/foDM9
YouTube Cine'Ta: shorturl.at/xLP36

DIMFF Best Film: Open Door Category
Cash prize, trophy, and certificate

DIMFF Best Vertical Film: Vertical Film Category
Cash prize, trophy, and certificate

CinemaScope Best Film: Short Film Category
Cash prize, trophy, and certificate

MSJ Best Mojo: Mojo Story Category
Cash prize, trophy, and certificate

ULAB Young Film Maker: One Minute Category
Cash prize, trophy, and certificate

The finalist of each category will receive an e-certificate. In addition, official selection, finalists, and winners are free to use festival laurels in their films and promotional materials.

Rules & Terms:

Categories:
1. Open Door: Anyone from any region can submit films shot on a mobile phone. Selected films will screen at the festival, and the best film will get the ‘DIMFF Best Film’ award.
2. Vertical Film: Anyone from any region can submit films shot vertically on a mobile phone. Selected films will screen at the festival, and the best film will get the ‘DIMFF Best Vertical Film’ award.
3. Short Film: Only university students of the Undergraduate or Graduate level can participate in this category. Selected films will screen at the festival, and the best film will get the ‘CinemaScope Best Film’ award.
4. Mojo Story: Only university students of the Undergraduate or Graduate level can participate in this category. Selected stories will screen at the festival, and the best story will get the ‘MSJ Best Mojo’ award.
5. One Minute: Only grade 1 to 12 students can participate in this category. Selected films will screen at the festival, and the best film will get the ‘ULAB Young Film Maker’ award.

Participant rules:
1. Directors/makers of the films/stories can be single or group (maximum four persons).
2. Only the directors/makers can submit their films.
3. For the Short Film and Mojo Story Category, the participant must have a student identity card valid till March 2024.
4. For the One Minute Category, the participant must be a grade 1 to 12 student with a student identity card valid till March 2024.
5. Each participant can submit a maximum of two films/stories.
6. Films/stories screened or participated in other festivals/competitions are also welcome.
7. Films/stories submitted in previous seasons of DIMFF will not be accepted.

Film rules:
1. Films/stories must be shot on a mobile phone (cell phone/smartphone) for all categories. There is no restriction regarding the phone’s brand, model, and operating system.
2. Multiple mobile phones can be used in a shooting; however, using footage(s) shot by any other device(s) such as DSLR, compact cameras, or hybrid android cameras will disqualify the entry.
3. Use of additional equipment is allowed, including (but not limited to) external microphones, lenses, lighting tools, and tripods.
4. All films/stories must be submitted in .mov/.avi/.mp4 format.
5. Use of Computer Animation/VFX must not be more than 30% of the total duration.
6. Stop motion animation using mobile phone cameras is acceptable.
7. Any device or software may be used in post-production, such as video and audio editing, color correction, and special effects.
8. Any duration can be submitted in the Open Door category.
9. The film must be within 10 minutes for the Vertical Film category.
10. The film must be within 25 minutes for the Short Film category.
11. The story must be within 3 minutes for the Mojo Story category.
12. The film must be exactly 1 minute, including the title and credit line for the One Minute category.
13. English subtitle is mandatory and should be merged with the visual.
14. There is no restriction regarding the theme or topic. All genres are welcome.
15. Use of any copyrighted materials is prohibited unless written permission.
16. Nudity, profanity, extreme violence, or racist content is not allowed.
17. DIMFF will preserve the right to archive, publish and use submitted materials for academic, commercial, and non-commercial purposes.

Deadline and submission:
1. No entry fee is required for students.
2. Submission deadline is September 24, 2023.
3. Late submission will cost USD 30 (Open Door Category), USD 20 (Vertical Film Category), USD 15 (Short Film Category), USD 10 (Mojo Story Category), and USD 5 (One Minute Category). No submission will be allowed after October 24, 2023.
4. Submission will accept by FilmFreeway only. Please use this site link <https://filmfreeway.com/DIMFF> for film/story submission.
5. After primary selection, you will be asked to submit the film/story poster, director’s/maker’s photograph and biography, a scanned copy of both sides of the student identity card (for Short Film, Mojo Story, and One Minute category only), a scanned copy of the Birth Certificate/National ID/Passport, and a two minutes (maximum) video of the making of the film/story (behind the scene).
6. Behind the scene must contain sufficient proof that your film was shot only with a mobile phone camera. The director/maker should talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the mobile phone for shooting the film/story.

Judgment processes:
1. Acceptance notification will be sent by email on December 24, 2023.
2. The organizers may disqualify a film/story if they have reason to believe that it does not comply with the competition’s terms and conditions.
3. Selected films/stories will be screened at the festival venues on February 3 & 4, 2024.
4. DIMFF reserves the right to withdraw the awards at any time if there is a formal complaint regarding a violation of intellectual property rights or any rules of the festival.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • ALI REZA

    Thank you DIMFF, for recognizing and inspiring young filmmakers. You guys are pioneering filmmaking to a new height. Kudos for that!

    March 2024
  • That's great. Thank you so much.

    March 2024
  • Happy to be part of this great festival with our film 3EMW :)

    March 2024
  • mark petrasso

    Thank you for the official selection of "Every Three Days". I managed to see the closing ceremony on Facebook and I must say that I was impressed by the presentation, audience attendance and venue. I recommend taking part in this festival.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Mr Petrasso,

    Thank you for watching us live on Facebook. We value your contribution and were happy to screen your film in our festival's 2nd screening session. Thank you for choosing DIMFF.

  • Young Man Kang

    DIMFF is an amazing international film festival specializing in new media, smartphone filmmaking, and vertical cinema storytelling. It is a pioneer in exploring new ways of cinema in this era.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Mr Kang,

    Congratulations once again, and thanks for choosing us. Your words mean a lot to us.
    We believe together, we can develop this wonderful community.