Dili, September 26th, 2024 – Thrusday marked the official start of the highly anticipated sixth edition of the Dili International Film Festival (DIFF). The opening night took place at Timor Plaza, where national and international stakeholders gathered to celebrate cultural diversity. UNDP remains dedicated to supporting this important event in Timor-Leste's cultural calendar, with this year's emphasis on empowering youth to drive climate action.

Under the patronage of His Excellency, President Dr. José Ramos-Horta, DIFF has been a platform that combines education and entertainment to foster cultural dialogue, promote climate action and nurture creativity of young filmmakers. Since 2019, thousands of visitors have participated in the activities, hundreds of filmmakers took part in the workshops and over 100 short films have been produced for DIFF National Short Film Competition - reflecting a significant rise in quality over the years. 

The festival has officially kicked off on Thrusday night, with an Opening Ceremony at Skybar Timor Plaza followed by the screening of the Thai film “Kiss of the Con Queen” in Cineplex Movie Theatre. The grand opening night was attended by national and international stakeholders, NGO’s and local young organisations of filmmakers, like Nocollide Entertainment and Lavateri Filme, who have been participating every year. H.E. José Ramos-Horta, the festival's patron and President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, complimented Lena Lenzen and Michael Smith on bringing together the International Film Festival, which has engaged so many Timorese creatives, saying, “I was impressed and proud. She has done a lot of training to many timorese directors, producers, artists and so on. Congratulations and thank you Lena and Michael for tonight and for your work”.

On her opening remarks, Ms. Katyna Argueta, UNDP Timor-Leste’s Resident Representative, spoke about how humanity is currently discussing the future, from the festival’s national competition theme Faith for the Future to the recent United Nations’ Summit of the Future in New York, emphasising how people's dreams shape the global path ahead: "Today is the time to dream that a better world is possible. I can't think of a better way to encourage us to dream than movies. Let us hope that the films we will be seeing in the coming weeks will inspire us to dream of an hopeful future in which everyone can live the life they have always dreamed." 

Mr. Michael Smith, co-founder of DIFF, stated that film is a "window to the world and expands it," while Ms. Lena Lenzen, director of DIFF, praised all of the partners, noting UNDP's support for hosting a dedicated evening about "Youth, Tourism, and Conservation – Positive Change and Creative Innovations." 

As part of DIFF24's extensive programme, UNDP Timor-Leste will present a special event on October 11th at Top Golf, focusing on the role of youth in driving climate action efforts. Tom Schachtsieck, a renowned German TV presenter and filmmaker, will be present as a guest speaker and will premiere his film "Young Adventurers," which explores Timor-Leste’s a natural wonders. The film screening promises to be an inspiring portrayal of Timor-Leste’s beauty and potential, followed by discussions on the country’s youth-led conservation activities.

Between 26th September to 12th October 2024, DIFF will celebrate the power of cinema to inspire, educate and connect. By organizing workshops, exhibiting international cinematic achievements, and spotlighiting Timor-Leste’s emerging voice in the film industry, it aspires to be both a window to the world for local audiences, as well as a platform for young filmmakers to share their stories globally. The festival underscores the power of storytelling to bridge cultures and inspire action, especially in the face of pressing global challenges like climate change.

UNDP's continued presence at DIFF24 highlights its ongoing work in Timor-Leste, particularly in youth empowerment, inclusive growth, and climate action.