Guwahati's Asian Film Festival (GAFF) 2026 opened on January 22 at Jyoti Chitraban. The four-day event will show 26 films from 10 Asian countries. The festival began with the Uzbekistan film Sunday by Shokir Kholikov. Indian audiences also saw the premiere of Japanese filmmaker Masahiro Ota’s film S and Bishal Swargiary’s Indian production An Evening Ballad. GAFF 2026 was selected from over 200 film submissions, including 90 from abroad. Monita Borgohain, GAFF’s honorary festival director, said, "The overwhelming response to our first edition encouraged us to think bigger. This year, we have expanded the festival’s scale and reach, with more filmmakers from across Asia joining us to celebrate the diversity and depth of Asian cinema." Films come from Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Iran, Kazakhstan, and China. Indian films in many languages such as Marathi, Malayalam, Hindi, Assamese, and more are also included. Aside from film showings, GAFF 2026 offers masterclasses, panel talks, and interactive sessions with filmmakers and critics. It is the only Asian film festival of its kind in northeast India, promoting cross-cultural stories and connections. This event continues to grow as a hub for cinema lovers and cultural exchange in the region.