Dhaka DocLab (Bengali: ঢাকা ডকল্যাব) is an annual documentary film workshop, project market and pitching forum held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 2017, it is organized by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN). 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.
History
Dhaka DocLab was established in 2017 by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN), a collective of Bangladeshi independent filmmakers. Theater activist and filmmaker Nasiruddin Yousuff served as founding chairman, with media executive Tareq Ahmed as director. The inaugural edition took place in September 2017 at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka, inaugurated by Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor.
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. The third edition in 2019 expanded to include filmmakers from Bhutan and Sri Lanka, with 16 projects presented.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth edition in 2020 was held online. Subsequent editions adopted hybrid or online formats. The 8th edition in 2024 featured 19 projects from 10 countries and was dedicated to the memories of the martyrs of the July revolution. 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.
Programme
The annual programme includes project pitching sessions, mentorship workshops, masterclasses, and one-on-one industry meetings. Projects are divided into categories including South Asian Projects, Asia-Pacific Projects, and Work-in-Progress projects.
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). 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.
Awards
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. In 2018, the award carried a cash prize of BDT 1,50,000 from the Bengal Foundation.
Second Best Project Award – awarded to the runner-up project. In 2018, the award included Tk 100,000 from Channel i.
IEFTA Award – a €2000 cash prize presented by the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) to selected projects. In 2023, the prize was awarded to Kazi Arefin Ahmed for his project Opekkha.
IEFTA Mentorship Prize – awarded to projects for mentorship opportunities.
DocEdge Kolkata Award – presented in collaboration with DocEdge Kolkata.
Industry initiatives
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. The organization has conducted workshops on non-fiction storytelling for Bangladeshi women filmmakers.
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. The project was funded by the British Council's International Collaboration Programme.
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.
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.
Organization
Dhaka DocLab is organized by the Dhaka Independent Film Network (DIFN), a platform of independent filmmakers in Bangladesh. The founding chairman is Nasiruddin Yousuff and Tareq Ahmed serves as director. Trustee board members have included Luva Nahid Chowdhury, Samia Zaman, and N Rashed Chowdhury. The event has been held at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka.
Recognition
Dhaka DocLab has been described as a "pioneer platform" for pitching and mentoring documentary filmmakers. It has been featured as a case study in discussions on documentary filmmaking in South Asia. The event has received coverage from national media outlets including Prothom Alo, New Age, The Daily Star, The Business Standard and The Asian Age.
In 2024, the 8th edition of Dhaka DocLab was dedicated to the martyrs of the July revolution.
