Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday invited international filmmakers to collaborate with West Bengal at the inaugural function of the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2024, while also acknowledging and appreciating talented local filmmakers from the state. I welcome everyone to this film festival. We wanted to dedicate this year to our international friends and therefore Dias has a large number of international friends. I will not interfere in the selection process, but requested KIFF president Gautam Ghosh for a better package of landmark Bengali films with a rich bouquet of foreign films…,” Banerjee said while addressing a gathering at Dhandhanya Sabha.
The film festival, which runs until December 11, features France as the focal theme country – showcasing films that depict a diverse cultural and cinematic heritage. This time we are screening 175 films from 41 countries. France is our focus country and 21 French films will be screened. Many Bengali films will also be screened,” the chief minister said.
Out of which 42 feature films, 30 short films and 25 documentaries have entered the competition. This year there are 103 films in the non-competition section, giving audiences an opportunity to explore different genres and cinematic styles.
Veteran Bollywood actor and MP Shatrughan Sinha, Bengali film superstar Dev, former cricketer Sourav Ganguly and KIFF President Gautam Ghosh were the chief guests present.
Argentinian director Pablo Cesar, who was present at the event, spoke about the historical relationship between India and Argentina, noting that the film was screened for the first time in both countries in 1896.
Describing KIFF as a bridge between international films, Hindi and Bengali films, Mamata Banerjee emphasized that cinema has no boundaries, it unites people. ‘The language of cinema remains the same everywhere, everyone understands it,’ she added, ‘we have a reliable talent of skilled actors and technicians. I want you all to bring your cinema, your actors here and let the people here work on your productions. We will work together.”
The festival started with the screening of Tapan Sinha’s 1966 classic film “Galpo Hola Satti” to mark the director general’s birth centenary. A tribute book to Tapan Sinha was also unveiled on Wednesday.
Referring to the tributes paid to several veterans including Sinha in their centenary years, the Chief Minister said, “Bengal is proud to have filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Tapan Sinha and Rituparno Ghosh who make us proud.”
“We are celebrating the 100th year with Sinha, Arundhuti Devi, Manoj Mitra Kumar Sahani and others. I haven’t seen Uttam Kumar, but his entire family is here. There were people like Soumitra Da (Soumitra Chatterjee), Rituparno Ghosh who are not with us, but we appreciate them. We miss him a lot. The wife of legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, who I knew closely, used to organize Durga Pujas near Firhad Hakim’s house…,” Banerjee said. “I observed a 26-day fast on this date years ago (in 2007). Tapan Sinha had sent me a letter wishing me success,’ she recalled.
Lamenting the absence of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, a regular invitee at the previous editions of KIFF till 2022, Banerjee said, “Amit ji, it will be difficult for me to have him regularly due to his age, and we respect his decision.”
“However, Shatrughan Sinha is here, one of the Bollywood icons over the years. I am very happy that he has agreed to attend,” she said, pointing to Sinha, a Trinamool Congress MP.
Banerjee expressed happiness that former cricketer Sourav Ganguly is participating in the program for the third year as well. “Saurabh is the brand ambassador of Bengal. He is the pride of the world and I am honored by his presence,” she said.
The festival will screen classic Indian and international films as a centenary tribute to prominent personalities like Marlon Brando, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Talat Mahmood, Mohammad Rafi, Sergey Parajanov, etc. Also, special tributes will be paid to distinguished personalities like Kumar Shahani, Alain Delon, Gautam Haldar, Manoj Mitra and others. The festival will be held at several prestigious venues in Kolkata including Nandan, Rabindra Sadan and Science City Auditorium.
– with PTI