Big B to inaugurate 22nd edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Amitabh Bachchan will inaugurate the 22nd Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) on November 11.

His spouse Jaya Bachchan, Kajol and Sanjay Dutt will also be present at the inaugural function. However, Bengal’s brand Ambassador Shah Rukh Khan will miss the inaugural ceremony because of his prior appointment. Bachchan will inaugurate the festival for the fifth consecutive time this year.

KIFF will screen 156 films from 65 countries across 13 venues in the city, Atri Bhattacharya, principal secretary, Information and Cultural Affairs said on Thursday. The theme of this year’s 8-day festival is “Cinema for all and all for cinema.”  Attempts have been made to bring films for everyone.

No film from Pakistan will be shown and China will be the focus country with seven films. An eight member delegation from Chinese film industry will come to attend KIFF. It was learnt that some of the masterpieces of Hollywood star Gregory Peck, whose birth centenary falls this year, will be screened. The KIFF will also screen some of the immortal films of Kanan Devi, actress and singer whose birth centenary also falls this year.

A new competitive category has been added to KIFF. There will be a new section on bio pics where films on the lives and work of great film makers will be screened.

There will be seminars, workshops on editing and film making. The cinema halls have been repaired for the purpose. Delegates, speakers and film critics from different states and abroad will come to attend the seminars and workshops.