Kolkata International Film Festival Kicks Off Amid Cultural Celebrations

 

Meanwhile, the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) kicked off with much fanfare, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the event. The festival, which celebrates global cinema, included a moon market at the Dhandhanya Auditorium, where the opening film, Galpa Lukana Sathi, directed by Tapan Sinha, was screened. Special guests at the event included Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha and cricket legend Sourav Ganguly, along with Tollywood stars and international dignitaries.

The focus country for this year’s KIFF is France, with the festival celebrating the rich cultural exchange between India and the global film industry. The opening ceremony was hosted by actors June Mallya and Jishu Sengupta, and featured tributes to legendary figures of Bengali cinema, including Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chatterjee, and Tapan Sinha. In her speech, Mamata Banerjee emphasized that "Cinema has no boundaries. This world is one country, and we are all one."

Mamata also expressed gratitude to the stars and guests involved in the festival, noting that this year’s edition would screen not only international films but also a significant number of Bengali films. Notably, however, no films from Bangladesh are being showcased at the festival this year, which has sparked some discussion among film enthusiasts.

As Kolkata continues to celebrate its rich cultural heritage, the initiatives by the Kolkata Municipality to promote Bengali, alongside efforts like the KIFF, underline the city’s commitment to preserving and celebrating its identity in the face of changing global dynamics.