BENGALURU: Brevity, experimentation and different varieties of storytelling in the visual medium often grips the audience quicker. Bengalureans are watching some of the best films in the 12th edition of the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) which will continue till August 14.
The film festival has also cut into the hybrid format, where OTT screenings are already going on since August 4. Screenings will take place in theatres at Suchitra and Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan from August 11 to 14.
The festival is dedicated to master filmmaker Satyajit Ray to celebrate the Oscar-winning director’s birth centenary, as the poster of Pather Panchali pays homage to his legacy. More than 3,000 submissions poured in for the prestigious festival from across 90 countries, of which around 250 films have been shortlisted. Among the directors, 23 per cent are women.
The platform has been coveted by young and amateur filmmakers to make a mark in the hearts and minds of discerning audiences, and more importantly, mingle with the achievers of the field, to absorb constructive criticism and feedback. BISFF has come a long way in identifying and nurturing young and talented filmmakers. “It’s been a good reception.
During the pandemic, we thought about online screenings, and realised that we also have a great following there too. In the first year of the pandemic, we saw 50,000 hits per day, and last year, it multiplied to 2 lakh,” says Anand Varadaraj, festival director, BISFF. The festival has come up with two new categories – Let’s Intrude which is about films on physical and mental disabilities, and Women Cinema which focuses on cinema filmmakers, to promote more women filmmakers into the industry.
“BISFF is back in theatres this year after a twoyear hiatus. I love the energy that film festivals bring for filmmakers. The audience will also receive a free NFT from the festival,” says Varadaraj. In 2020, BISFF was recognised as an Oscar Academy Qualifying Festival for Short Films.
“BISFF, which has grown over a decade into an international event that Bengaluru can proudly own, has built a fellowship and network of short film enthusiasts and experts from around the world. The online structure has helped us create more inclusive spaces for new ideas and imagination,” says Prakash Belawadi, actor, director, and mentor, BISFF.
NOW SHOWING
280 Days
A Box of Cuban Cigars
A Coconut Tree
A Day Under the Sky
An Irish Goodbye
The Salon