The 12th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) will be held in Dhaka from January 12th through January 20th, 2012. The general theme of the festival is "Better Film, Better Audience, Better Society." The Festival has been arranged on a regular basis by Rainbow Film Society, and it has been devoted to the promotion of a healthy cine culture in Bangladesh, and to celebrate the global mainstream in movie, as well as its social relevance since 1977. In the last 19 years, DIFF has gained international recognition with 11 festivals respectively held in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. The 11th Dhaka International Film Festival was held this past January, the 14th through the 22nd, with around 193 films from 66 countries, including Bangladesh.

Rainbow Film Society is one of the most active in the film society movement of Bangladesh. In addition to holding regular film shows and film related seminars and workshops, Rainbow Film Society also brings out The Celluloid, which is the only cinema periodical from Bangladesh with an international audience.

The DIFF is the most important film event in Bangladesh; it has helped shape an increasingly healthy and positive national film culture. DIFF is a daring expression of resistance against the corruption, vulgarity, and cheap commercialism that is all over the conventional Bangladesh film industry. The festival has also created space for young and aspiring filmmakers in Bangladesh and South East Asia, to interact with global artistic tendencies and to strengthen the parallel development of Bangladeshi cinema.

The preparatory phase for this event is already underway. Organizers are expecting to screen approximately 100 films, with participation from approximately 30 different countries. The festival will have a competition section for Asian cinema and different segment categories.