After weeks of uncertainty surrounding approvals for public events due to security concerns, the country’s largest film festival has finally received confirmation to proceed. The Dhaka International Film Festival will open as scheduled on January 10, bringing an end to speculation over its fate.

The festival’s full program was officially announced on Monday. It confirms that the opening film will be the Chinese production "The Journey to No End". One of the major highlights of this year’s edition is “Chinese Film Week,” organized to commemorate 120 years of Chinese cinema.

Presented by the Rainbow Film Society, the festival will feature 11 competitive and non-competitive sections, showcasing a total of 246 feature-length and short films selected from more than 70 countries.

Screenings will take place at multiple venues, including the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, National Museum, Alliance Française Auditorium, and Stamford University Auditorium.

The opening ceremony will begin at 4pm on January 10 at the National Museum’s main auditorium. This will be followed at 5:30pm by the screening of The Journey to No End in the Asian Film Competition section, and at 7pm by the Iranian film Without Me.

The Bangladesh Panorama section will feature nine local films, including Naya Manush, Ural, Dhamer Gaan, Naya Note, Agantuk, Ekhane Rajnoitik Alap Joruri, The University of Chankharpul, The Story of a Rock, and Utsab.

The nine-day festival will conclude on January 18 with an awards ceremony, marking the end of this year’s edition.