BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the nine-day Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) will be held from January 29, and 200 films from 60 countries (400 screenings) will be screened. The 17th edition of the film festival is themed around women’s empowerment.
After a meeting with office bearers of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, headed by actor Sadhu Kokila, the CM said the inauguration will be held at Vidhana Soudha.
“The academy has already received 110 entries. The process of submitting films for the Asian, Indian and Kannada cinema categories has begun, and it has received a good response. The last date for submission of applications for the competitive categories of films is December 31, 2025.”
He also said films will be screened at 11 screens of Cinepolis in Lulu Mall, Rajajinagar, Dr Rajkumar Bhavan, Artists’ Association in Chamarajpet and Suchitra Film Society in Banashankari.
The best films from various countries that have been shortlisted for this year’s Oscars will also be screened. The Polish Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Goethe Institute-Max Muller Bhavan, Bengaluru, the Alliance Française- French Institute and the Royal Thai Consulate will screen the best films from their countries at the film festival.
“A series of special films documenting the history of African cinema is also being screened at this year’s film festival in collaboration with Alliance Française Bengaluru and the French Institute in India,” said Siddaramaiah.
A photography exhibition depicting the milestones of the Kannada film industry, which has a colourful and memorable history of 91 years, will also be organised.
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Films that have made the rounds of film festivals in Cannes (France), Berlin (Germany), Venice (Italy), Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), Locarno (Switzerland), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Busan (South Korea) and Toronto (Canada) and won awards will be available for cinema lovers at one place
Award for best films and Lifetime Achievement Award will be given on the concluding day