Habitat Film Festival 2026 Celebrates Bengali Cinema Classics And Independent Films Exploring Identity And Memory

The Habitat Film Festival (HFF) 2026 concluded on May 24 after ten days of screenings across 20 languages. This year’s edition was curated around the theme of resilience, with Bengali cinema taking centre stage through a retrospective of classics and bold new voices that resonated deeply with audiences. 

Ritwik Ghatak Retrospective

• Landmark films such as Meghe Dhaka Tara, Komal Gandhar, Subarnarekha, and Jukti Takko Aar Gappo were screened.
• These works continue to resonate for their exploration of Partition, belonging, and cultural fragmentation.
• The retrospective offered younger audiences a rare chance to experience Ghatak’s cinematic brilliance on the big screen. 

Contemporary Bengali Cinema

• Baksho Bondi: A layered portrait of confinement and resilience.
• Porshi: Explored fragile human relationships and social tensions in urban spaces.
• Dear Maa: An intimate emotional journey centred on family and memory.
• Adamya: Reflected courage and perseverance in adversity.
• Other films like Moti, You in This City, This City Inside You, and Under the Jackfruit Tree enriched the showcase with poetic storytelling and reflections on identity and loneliness. 

Festival Highlights

• The festival featured over 60 films from across India, including Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Assamese, and Khasi cinema.
• Collaborations with the Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) brought curated selections of documentaries and shorts.
• Tributes were paid to Asha Bhosle through Umrao Jaan and to actors Dharmendra and Asrani with Chupke Chupke. 

Cinema Insights

•⁠  ⁠Bengali cinema showcase was the highlight of HFF 2026

•⁠  ⁠Ritwik Ghatak retrospective featured four landmark films

•⁠  ⁠Contemporary Bengali films explored themes of resilience, identity, and memory

•⁠  ⁠Festival screened 60+ films across 20 languages

•⁠  ⁠Collaborations with IDPA and FTII enriched programming

•⁠  ⁠Tributes included Umrao Jaan and Chupke Chupke screenings

Sources: The Statesman, India Habitat Centre official schedule