The stage is set for world-class cinema at Bengaluru’s international film fest

Whether it is a personal epic of a maid set against an emotional portrait of life as in Roma, or a Japanese boy stealing items at the grocery store with the active assistance of his father, like in Shoplifters, there is nothing that can add to a movie experience as much as the magic of the silver screen.

In an attempt to celebrate the theatre experience and the beauty of good cinema, the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy has planned something for movie lovers in the city. Get ready to immerse yourself in a week-long annual festival to celebrate world cinema. The Academy is hosting its annual edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), which is in its eleventh edition now.

The festival, which is underway this week, will showcase more than 200 international and Indian films and will end on February 28. This year’s edition is focused on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary and the theme of the festival is Nature’s Fury. 

On the film festival, N Vidyashankar, Artistic Director, Biffes, says, “We are bringing to you films from across the world, which to some extent, if not fully, address the Mahatma’s concerns in terms of values of humanity like equality, compassion, and peaceful coexistence. In the process we are also presenting a few films on the life and ideas of Mahatma.”

According to Vidyashankar, the films that are being shown during the festival have been chosen by a committee of experts. The selection committee studies the reception that the film received when it released, and the reputation of the director. “The selection will feature 13 documentaries under the theme of Nature’s Fury. And the country focus of this year’s edition will be Iran and Poland,” he says.

The festival also features multiple competitions for the best movies, and the categories include Indian cinema, Kannada cinema and Kannada popular cinema. These competitions will be judged by a select panel of film critics and experts. The organising team of the festival includes eminent individuals like H B Dinesh, Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, Pankaj Pandey and N Vidyashankar.

The nature of storytelling is much more direct when it comes to films. Imagination and visualisation are not the viewer’s job alone anymore. By taking away the necessity of this mental effort on the audience, movies shift their attention to subtle nuances like art. So, the most unlikely of stories can come to life in films. Moreover, the audience can empathise with the characters instead of just forming impressions about them.

Films have defined and reflected the culture of societies for more than a century. It has mostly to do with the fact that films, unlike other art forms, have largely remained in the public sphere. The Government of Karnataka hopes to present an assortment of world cultures through the Bengaluru International Film Festival.

Eight of the nine nominees for this year’s Oscars Best Foreign Language Film will be showcased in the film festival.

“Roma from Mexico, and Shoplifters from Japan will get a good reception in this year’s festival. The latter won Palme d’Or at Cannes,” Vidyashankar adds.

This year’s film festival has 6,000 registered delegates and more than half of them are in their 20s. The screenings will take place at PVR Cinemas - Orion Mall at Brigade Gateway, Dr Rajkumar Road

The fest will also feature a tribute to Ingmar Bergman, the great Swedish director, who has often been quoted as saying, “Film as dream, film as music - no art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.”

Films do have a profound effect on the viewer. They have been used to cheer, anger, and even educate people at different times.

“The Bengaluru International Film Festival hopes to continue a sense of appreciation for good cinema and the theatre experience,” says Vidyashankar.