KOLKATA: The cinephiles of Kolkata have an indescribable love for Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, evident in the serpentine queues at film festivals.
The upcoming French Film Festival, which will begin on February 16 at Nandan, holds special significance for the City of Joy.
Industry expert Pritimoy Chakraborty’s acceptance of the advisory council invitation adds a unique touch. From film selection to programming, Chakraborty ensures a stellar festival experience, blending his expertise with Kolkata’s profound love for French and Indian cinema.
Chakraborty’s dear friends Anil Kapoor, Gautam Ghose, Anjan Dutta and Rituparna Sengupta will grace the event. To be held till February 24, the festival will screen two acclaimed films – Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Kennedy’ and Shaji N’ Karun’s Malayalam masterpiece ‘Piravi’. While Rahul Bhatt-starrer police noir ‘Kennedy’ received a standing ovation for more than seven minutes at the Cannes, the 1989 film ‘Piravi’ won at least 31 awards, including the Caméra d’Or — Mention Spéciale at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. The filmmaker also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1989. “Both the films will be screened in Kolkata and the makers will be in the city to interact with the audience,” said Chakraborty.
The festival, which will conclude on February 24, is being hosted by the alliance Francaise du Bengale and may feature the attendance of notable Bollywood figures such as Sudhir Mishra, Manoj Bajpayee, Farhan Akhtar, and Kalki Koechlin.
Chakraborty’s connection with the film industry goes back a long time. In fact, Chakraborty owns one of the largest studios and is also into film distribution and advertising.