Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the 26th edition of Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) virtually from Nabanna Sabhaghar on January 8.
As many as 81 feature films and 50 short and documentary films (selected out of 1170 entries) from 45 countries will be screened at 8 state-run theatres from January 9 to 15 adhering to all Covid norms.
There is one film from Bangladesh as well. Unlike the past few years, no films will be screened in any private theatres due to the Covid situation. Only 50 per cent seats of each theatre will be used.
"Four films on life and works of Swami Vivekananda will also
be screened on the day of Yuva Divas on January 12," said state Youth Services and Sport minister Aroop Biswas.
Indranil Sen, Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs department, expressed her gratitude to the Chief Minister for her encouragement to hold the festival following Covid protocol.
Raj Chakraborty, the festival's Chairman, said: "Like all the previous years, this year too the Chief Minister will inaugurate KIFF but virtually from Nabanna Sabhaghar."
Unique initiative has also been taken to create awareness on the use of masks through the hoardings of KIFF.
Keeping the Covid situation in mind, film lovers can get free-of-cost tickets online through Book My Show from January 7.
Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar will
be screened as the inaugural film
to pay tribute to Soumitra Chatterjee at 5 pm on January 8 at Rabindra Sadan.
Films to pay special tribute to legendary film personalities — Fernando Solanas, Kim Ki-duk, Basu Chatterjee, Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan,
Tapas Pal, Amala Shankar and Santu Mukhopadhyay — will also be screened.
Centenary tributes will be paid to Federico Fellini, Eric Rohner, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and Bhanu Bandyopadhyay. Exhibitions on the life and works of Soumitra Chatterjee, Federico Fellini, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and Bhanu Bandyopadhyay will also be held.