The ongoing Dhaka International Film Festival is scheduled to screen 40 films from 19 countries including Bangladesh today. Along with other films, Tauquir Ahmed-directed ‘Haldaa’ (Bangladesh) and Kazim Oz directed ‘Zer’ (Palestine) will be screened today.

‘Haldaa’ will be screened at 5:30pm at the Central Public Library Auditorium in Shahbag, while ‘Zer’ is scheduled to be screened at 4:00 at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka in Dhanmondi.

After coming off from the cinema halls ‘Haldaa’ is making its festival debut with this festival. The plot of the film mirrors the similarities between women and river. The story of the film is written by Azad Bulbul, while the screenplay of the film came from director Tauquir Ahmed himself.

The intense drama film is set against the backdrop of the river Halda situated in Chittagong. In the story, the river and its nature, the soil erosion by the rivers and the flow and complicated life of the people living on the river bed have been highlighted the most.

On the other hand, the festival was opened with the film ‘Zer’. The intriguing story of the film follows Jan, a young man raised in New York City, is moved by the song his ailing grandmother sings to him on her deathbed. She remembers a dream she had, of a terrible massacre she witnessed as a child. After grandma's death, Jan travels to where she grew up in the Kurdish heartland seeking the truth behind the song. His journey takes him deep into his own unknown heritage, revealing sad, fiercely-hidden truths and the meaning of what she left behind.

Moreover, another Bangladeshi feature film titled ‘Meyeti Ekhon Kotahay Jabe’ directed by Nader Chowdhury along with five other short and independent films will be screened today at the different venues of the festival.