BENGALURU: In the 15th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), which is scheduled to be held from February 29 to March 7, as many as 180 films will be screened. The film festival will also be screening 30 Kannada films to celebrate the Kannada cinema industry entering its 90th year and also as part of the celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the renaming of the state to Karnataka.
BIFFes will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The organisers - the Department of Information and Public Relations and Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy - have also given a platform for movies made in little-known Indian languages such as Tulu, Kodava, Banjara, Arebashe, Markodi, Galo, Rabha, Santhali, and Taiphake.
Based on the directives from the Chief Minister’s office, 15 documentaries and short films that speak about human dignity, social justice, environmental concerns, and correcting gender inequalities will be screened.
Addressing the media, KV Thrilok Chandra, Secretary, Department of Information and Public Relations, said, the opening film will be Bonjur Switzerland, a Swiss film directed by Peter Luisi and there will be a total of 180 films screened with competition sections in Kannada, Indian and Asian Cinemas. The festival will have contemporary world cinema from over 50 countries and have various categories such as country focus, critics week, directors’ retrospectives, thematic documentary section, biographical pictures, homages, remembrances, etc.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award-winning Bengali director Mrinal Sen’s films and Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami films also will be screened.
“The centenary tributes will also be paid to one of the most distinguished music director of Kannada cinema Mr Vijaya Bhaskar by showcasing a couple of his films followed by a panel discussion on his contribution to music in cinema. Centenary tribute will be paid to cinematographer NG Rao by screening one of his films,” Thrilok Chandra added.
Special film screenings in honour of well-known actor of yesteryear Leelavathi, directors Bhagwan and CV Shivashankar, and singer Vani Jayaram will be screened, he added. Academic events, cover talks, seminars, workshops, masterclasses, interactive sessions on editing, cinematography, art and production design, music, constitutional values in Indian cinema, film criticism, film coproduction and marketing possibilities, gender sensitivity, the impact of Al on a film script and others will be part of the discussion at the festival.