Assamese film ‘Hiraeth’ by Chow Partha Borgohain selected for NETPAC Section of Asian Film Festival Barcelona 2026

Guwahati, October 23, 2026: Filmmaker Chow Partha Borgohain’s Assamese feature film Hiraeth has been selected for the NETPAC Section of the Asian Film Festival Barcelona (AFFBCN) 2026, bringing the film to an international audience in Barcelona.

As part of the festival programme, Hiraeth received a television screening on Betevé, a local television channel in Barcelona, on October 21, 2026. The television screening gave the film an opportunity to reach a wider local audience beyond the conventional festival cinema setting.

The Asian Film Festival Barcelona (AFFBCN), the Asian film festival organized by Casa Asia, is holding its 14th edition from October 22 to November 1.

Directed by Chow Partha Borgohain, Hiraeth tells the story of Pori and her husband, Kom, who migrate to the city with the hope of building a better life. However, instead of the opportunities they had imagined, they encounter hardship, exploitation and injustice. As they struggle to survive in an unfamiliar environment, Pori is confronted with the disturbing reality of a social system in which the labour and suffering of the poor contribute to the prosperity of the privileged. Through its central characters and their struggle for survival, the film presents a deeply human story about aspiration, displacement and injustice.

The film’s selection in the NETPAC Section of the Asian Film Festival Barcelona 2026 provides Hiraeth with an opportunity to be presented alongside Asian films to audiences in Barcelona. The festival serves as an international platform for cinema from across Asia, allowing filmmakers and their works to connect with audiences beyond their countries of origin.

“Hiraeth is a story about ordinary people who leave behind their familiar world in search of a better future, only to find themselves confronting harsh social realities. Through Pori and Kom, I have tried to explore the struggles, aspirations and resilience of people whose voices often go unheard. I am delighted that the film has been selected for the NETPAC Section of the Asian Film Festival Barcelona. The television screening on Betevé makes this opportunity even more special, as it will allow our story to reach a wider audience beyond the festival,” said Chow Partha Borgohain.

The selection is also significant for Assamese cinema, as Hiraeth carries a story from the region to an international platform and brings the work of an Assamese filmmaker before audiences in Barcelona.

The festival organisers, in their communication to the filmmaker, expressed their delight at having Hiraeth as part of the Asian Film Festival Barcelona 2026 and highlighted the significance of its television broadcast in reaching a wider local audience through Betevé.

The selection of Hiraeth marks another step in the film’s international journey and provides an opportunity for Chow Partha Borgohain’s cinema and an Assamese story to reach audiences in Barcelona through both the Asian Film Festival Barcelona and its television platform.

Starring Meghali Kalita, Ashim Kumar Sharma and Atanu Mahanta in key roles, other cast in the film includes Dipankar Sharma, Archana Bezbaruah, Vishwa Kinkar Baruah, Hemanta Rajkonwar, Smritirekha Chetia Handique, Pradipta Pran Bhattacharya, Rimjhim Deka, Rumi Sharma Pathak and Bhoirab Phukan.

Written and directed by Chow Partha Borgohain, Hiraeth is produced by Sengpem Borgohain, with Subhitya Borgohain and Krishnangee Baruah as executive producers. Cinematography is by Chow Partha Borgohain himself while production design is by Jayanta Gogoi, editing by Kavin Adithya, music by AT Ram with Delepan Rajan and Dhiru as colorists, Nabapan Deka as sound designer, Rhitwik Raj Pathak re-recording mixer, location sound by Bishal Nath, VFX by Pixel Light Studio, Rza Boitlung, Dhrubajit Kalita; costume & make-up artist – Paran Sharma, Mandita Goswami and first assistant director as Victor Das.