Representatives of Bangalore International Film Festival 2012 (Biffes) made an appeal to CM Jagadish Shettar to set up a directorate, especially to coordinate and organise the film festival.
Speaking at the launch of the festival on Thursday, H N Narahari Rao, artistic director of Biffes, said the festival requires a directorate which functions throughout the year to plan it in a better manner.
“We collected films from over 50 countries in a very short notice. If a body is set up especially for it, then we can organise the event in a better manner,” Rao said.
He added that it will also help them establish better contacts with film agencies in other countries.
Shettar inaugurated the festival along with noted Japanese filmmaker Masahiro Kobayashi. He said the government would extend support to the development of cinema in the state and the festival, which puts Bangalore in global arena.
“Such an event will make Bangalore a more desired destination for film lovers. It is already a hub of production and post-production of high quality cinema,” he said.
More than 160 films belonging to 13 categories from 50 countries across the world will be screened during the seveny-day festival. The festival started with the screening of “The Kauwvoy”, a film from Netherlands.
B Vijayakumar, President, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, D Venkatesh Murthy, Mayor, and delegates from countries which have contributed films for the festival were present.
Foregin embassy officials and actors of Kannada film industry also attended the opening ceremony.