Dhaka DocLab
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| Location | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
|---|---|
| Founded by | Nasiruddin Yousuff (Chairman), Tareq Ahmed (Director) |
| Most recent | 2025 |
| Awards | IEFTA Award, Global Film & Media Initiative Award, Adhunika Award, Best Project Award, Second Best Project Award |
| Directors | Tareq Ahmed |
| Hosted by | Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN) |
| No. of films | 9 (as of 2025) |
| Festival date | Annual (September) |
| Language | Bengali, English |
| Website | dhakadoclab |
Dhaka DocLab (Bengali: ঢাকা ডকল্যাব) is an annual documentary film workshop, project market and pitching forum held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[1][2] Established in 2017, it is organized by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN).[1][3] The event serves as a platform for documentary filmmakers from South Asia and the Asia-Pacific region to pitch projects, receive mentorship, and connect with international co-producers, broadcasters, and festival representatives.[4][5]
History
[edit]Dhaka DocLab was established in 2017 by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN), a collective of Bangladeshi independent filmmakers.[1] Theater activist and filmmaker Nasiruddin Yousuff served as founding chairman, with media executive Tareq Ahmed as director.[1][2] The inaugural edition took place in September 2017 at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka, inaugurated by Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor.[2]
The second edition in 2018 featured 15 documentary projects from Bangladesh, India and Nepal, with participants receiving mentoring from international industry professionals including representatives of the Berlin International Film Festival.[6] The third edition in 2019 expanded to include filmmakers from Bhutan and Sri Lanka, with 16 projects presented.[7]
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth edition in 2020 was held online.[8] Subsequent editions adopted hybrid or online formats.[8] The 8th edition in 2024 featured 19 projects from 10 countries and was dedicated to the memories of the martyrs of the July revolution.[9] The 9th edition in 2025 concluded with participants from nine countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore and Ukraine.[10]
Programme
[edit]The annual programme includes project pitching sessions, mentorship workshops, masterclasses, and one-on-one industry meetings.[2][6] Projects are divided into categories including South Asian Projects, Asia-Pacific Projects, and Work-in-Progress projects.[3]
Participating decision-makers and mentors have included representatives from the Berlin International Film Festival, European Documentary Network, Sheffield DocFest, Dok Leipzig, IDFA, and the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA).[2][7][11] Each filmmaker typically receives a presentation slot of seven minutes, with four minutes to describe their story and theme and three minutes to screen a trailer.[2]
Awards
[edit]At the conclusion of each edition, several grants and awards are distributed to selected projects. The main awards have included:
- Best Project Award – awarded to the top documentary project, with prize money from sponsors.[6] In 2018, the award carried a cash prize of BDT 1,50,000 from the Bengal Foundation.[6]
- Second Best Project Award – awarded to the runner-up project.[6] In 2018, the award included Tk 100,000 from Channel i.[6]
- IEFTA Award – a €2000 cash prize presented by the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) to selected projects.[12][13] In 2023, the prize was awarded to Kazi Arefin Ahmed for his project Opekkha.[13]
- IEFTA Mentorship Prize – awarded to projects for mentorship opportunities.[14]
- DocEdge Kolkata Award – presented in collaboration with DocEdge Kolkata.[14]
Industry initiatives
[edit]The Dhaka DocImpact Lab (DDIL), an initiative of Dhaka DocLab, was launched to empower documentary filmmakers from South Asia. The first edition featured a three-day workshop with six documentary projects by young Bangladeshi filmmakers.[15][16] The organization has conducted workshops on non-fiction storytelling for Bangladeshi women filmmakers.[17]
In partnership with the British Council and the Wales One World Film Festival, Dhaka DocLab produced the Bangladesh-Cymru Climate Stories project, which supported four short documentary films focused on climate change.[18][19] The project was funded by the British Council's International Collaboration Programme.[18]
In 2025, the British Council commissioned Dhaka DocLab to conduct a comprehensive policy review of Bangladesh's film industry. The study, titled "Cinema as a Creative Industry: Mapping Bangladesh's Film Ecosystem and Inclusive Growth Potential", was led by principal researcher Dr Imran Firdaus.[20][21]
Dhaka DocLab has also participated in international film events. In 2026, it was part of a showcase of work-in-progress documentary films from Bangladesh at the Sheffield DocFest MeetMarket.[5]
Organization
[edit]Dhaka DocLab is organized by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN), a platform of independent filmmakers in Bangladesh.[1][2] The founding chairman is Nasiruddin Yousuff and Tareq Ahmed serves as director.[1][2] Trustee board members have included Luva Nahid Chowdhury, Samia Zaman, and N Rashed Chowdhury.[7] The event has been held at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka.[2]
Recognition
[edit]Dhaka DocLab has been described as a "pioneer platform" for pitching and mentoring documentary filmmakers.[22] It has been featured as a case study in discussions on documentary filmmaking in South Asia.[3] The event has received coverage from national media outlets including Prothom Alo, New Age, The Daily Star, The Business Standard and The Asian Age.[1][2][10]
In 2024, the 8th edition of Dhaka DocLab was dedicated to the martyrs of the July revolution.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 যাত্রা শুরু করল 'ঢাকা ডক ল্যাব' ['Dhaka Doc Lab' begins its journey]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 6 June 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Dhaka Doclab begins Aug 31". New Age. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Dhaka Doc Lab". ASEF culture360. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Partners – Documentary Resource Initiative". DocResi. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "New Stories, Emerging Authors: Showcase of Work in Progress from Bangladesh". Sheffield DocFest. 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Dhaka DocLab ends". New Age. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Curtain lifts on Dhaka Doclab". New Age. 20 October 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Dhaka Doclab to be held online". New Age. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Dhaka DocLab 2024: A Successful 8th Edition". Dhaka DocLab. 2 October 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Dhaka DocLab's 9th edition concludes". The Asian Age. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Applications called for int'l docu film workshop". New Age. 28 March 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Winner Announced for the IEFTA/IEFTF Dhaka DocLab €2000 Cash Award 2024". IEFTA. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "IEFTA's €2000 Prize Awarded to Bangladeshi Filmmaker at 2023 Dhaka DocLab online". IEFTA. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "'An Insignia of a Forced Winter' wins Best Project at Dhaka DocLab-2020". New Age. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Dhaka DocImpact Lab starts its journey". New Age. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Dhaka DocImpact Lab concludes". New Age. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Non-fiction storytelling workshop concludes". New Age. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Dhaka DocLab, British Council showcase 4 climate documentaries". New Age. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bangladeshi filmmakers receive grant from British Council for portraying climate change stories". The Business Standard. 28 June 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "British Council launches policy review on Bangladesh's film industry". The Daily Star. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "British Council to publish landmark Study on Bangladesh's film industry". The Business Standard. 26 November 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "Dhaka DocLab". IEFTA. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Dhaka DocLab at IEFTA