Entertainment Desk:

The Bengali Film Festival of Dallas (Bangla Chalachitra Utsab Dallas), North America’s premier celebration of Bengali-language cinema, will return this August for its eighth edition.

The festival, scheduled to run from August 1 to 3, will take place at the Angelika Film Center, offering three days of films, culture, and a fashion showcase.

As in previous years, the festival will present a curated selection of award-winning films from both Bangladesh and India, alongside promising fresh projects from emerging directors. Organisers say this year’s lineup will include internationally acclaimed titles, national award-winners, and bold experiments in storytelling.

More than just a film showcase, the event will host post-screening conversations between audiences and filmmakers, celebrity appearances, and exclusive roundtable discussions. The goal, according to organisers, is to celebrate not just films, but the stories, voices, and artistry behind them.

But this year’s standout feature will not be on screen—it’ll be on the runway. For the first time, the festival will include a fashion presentation titled “Nakshi Kanthar Chhobi” (Images in Kantha), bringing the age-old convention of Nakshi Kantha embroidery to life through live performance. These hand-stitched quilts—rich in colour, texture, and cultural memory—will be reimagined as wearable art in a full-scale fashion segment.

The segment is directed by Dr Tarek Yasin Uzzal, founder and director of Srijoner Hut, a creative initiative dedicated to preserving and reinterpreting Bengali heritage.

“This is where fashion and cinema meet,” he said. “We’re creating an experience that blends the stories of Bengali women’s hands with the stories onscreen. Join us—be a part of this moment in history.”