Kolkata Int'l Film Festival comes to a close amid award ceremony, dance shows

Kolkata: The 24th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) came to an end with a mesmerizing programme at Nazrul Mancha on Saturday evening.

Dignitaries present have expressed the eagerness to witness the same next year which will mark the 25th year of the KIFF.

Actor Tabu, film director Shoojit Sircar and Prosenjit Chatterjee were present at the programme. State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim, state Panchayat and Rural Development minister Subrata Mukherjee, state Youth Services and Sports minister Aroop Biswas and Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen were also present.

Tabu was all praises for the move that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government have taken towards taking KIFF to such great heights.

"It is a great experience to be present in such a programme. Next year it is going to be the 25th year of KIFF," she said expressing her willingness to be present at the event once again next year.

Sircar said the programme has reached a new height and next year it would be one of the best events in the world.

There was a dance performance by Dona Ganguly and her troupe. At the same time, awards for the different categories were distributed at the closing ceremony.

The best documentary film is "Say Cheese", which is directed by Ishani Kanjilal Dutta. The three best short films are "Gadhul (Turbid)", "Sambhavtaha (Probably)" and "Look at the Sky".

Jury's special mention for actor of "Hiralal Sen Memorial Award" on Indian Language's Films Competition is Kaushik Ganguly. The best director of "Hiralal Sen Memorial Award" on Indian Language's Films Competition is Arijit Biswas and the best film of "Hiralal Sen Memorial Award" on Indian Language's Films Competition is "Widow of Silence".

Jury special mention in international competition on innovation in moving images is "Tarikh (A Timeline)" directed by Churni Ganguly and "Genezis (Genesis)" director by Arpad Bogdan of Hungary.

The best director award has gone to Abu Bakr Shawky of Egypt and the best film has been won by "The Third Wife" directed by Ash Mayfair of Vietnam.