It’s time to glue your eyes to the silver screen. You’ve probably been told it’s a bad habit, but this one is only to watch meaningful, classy movies that have gone through several selection rounds. The sixth edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival, organised by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy is here and the city can begin preparing to learn and be entertained at the same time. With the festival being a bigger hit every year, the organisers have gone all out by choosing larger screens and theatres for viewing.
“Last year, the festival was so popular but we underestimated the number of people coming. This year, we are screening at many more theatres,” says N Vidyashankar, deputy art director.
There are going to be film makers from all over the world, including delegates from Serbia, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Bangladesh. “While films from the third world countries revolve around social concerns, advanced countries make films about relationships, etc, so expect a good mix,” adds Vidyashankar.
Sudarshan, whose movie Phallana is being screened believes that this is a much-needed platform. “It’s difficult to reach out to people when you make low budget and parallel films. While mainstream cinema does well in Bengaluru, it’s a bit of a struggle for us,” says this Sydney-based film maker.
Not only are there screenings, there are several competitions as well, including categories like Asian cinema, cinema of the World, Kannada cinema and also a special genre called Train Films. Umesh Nayak, whose film Konchavaram has been selected for the Kannada cinema category, says it’s a privilege to be able to participate after spending 20 years in the industry. “I used to make documentaries and serials. Konchavaram is a film on child trafficking in Gulbarga, among members of the Banjara community. They’re the most colourfully dressed people in the world but they have such a touching story hidden behind those colours,” says Umesh.
Pawan Kumar, whose Lucia has completed more than 100 successful days in theatres, has a strong emotional connect to the festival. “When I was a kid, I’d struggle for a ticket to watch the films. Now my film is being screened there! Also, I’ve had Lucia screened at Mumbai, Chennai and Kerala, so it’s good to know that I’ve completed a sort of South Indian circuit,” he shares.
The Biff is being held across theatres in the city from December 26 to January 2.
