After 2-yr hiatus, Kolkata Film Festival kicks off in style, CM inaugurates event

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday while inaugurating the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at Nazrul Mancha said the Bengal film industry was a 'power house of talent and creates employment opportunities for scores of people' and would be included in the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) to be held in February 2023.

The Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi, who was present at the inaugural function, to include the film sector in BGBS 2023.

"It was an oversight on our part not to include the film industry in this year's highly successful BGBS. We need to make a pitch for our entertainment sector globally," Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also called upon the chief guest of the ceremony, Bollywood actor-turned-TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha to bring in investments for the Bengali film industry, which churns out rich content.

"Bengali films are the best in the world and are deeply rooted to the soil. The state is a storehouse of talents. Bollywood has money, people to invest... I appreciate that. I would request Shatrughan ji to help the Bengali film industry by bringing in more investments," she said.

The Chief Minister also said Bengal is bestowed with scenic landscapes for film shoots. "We have sea beaches, deep forests and wildlife. We also have state-of-the-art shooting complexes like Telly Academy near Kolkata, where international-level infrastructure is available for both fiction and non-fiction content," Banerjee said.

Talking about KIFF, which will be held in 10 state-run venues from April 25 to May 1, Banerjee said: "We have truly made it a global event."

Ruing that the last year's festival was not as grand as it was this year owing to Covid-related curbs, she stated that people 'can't be living in fear forever'. "We didn't want to deprive film buffs, members of the film fraternity of the opportunity to discuss, deliberate and think about cinema," she maintained.

Banerjee also announced that the Radha Studio near Bangur Hospital in Tollygunge has been renovated. The 152-seat auditorium on the ground floor of the building will be opened for regular public screening from May 6. So far, it was used only during the film festival.

The Chief Minister also underlined that KIFF, this year, organised special tribute sessions for Satyajit Ray and film critic Chidananda Dasgupta on their birth centenary years.

She expressed grief over the demise of stalwarts like Lata Mangeskar, Bappi Lahiri and Sandhya Mukherjee, recounting the conversations she had with each of them.

Listing out the initiatives being undertaken by the state government, Banerjee said digitisation and restoration of film classics and documentaries by renowned filmmakers were underway. The Technician's Studio has been renovated at a cost of Rs 34 crore, Banerjee added.

Shatrughan Sinha was felicitated by filmmaker and Satyajit Ray's son Sandip Ray, on the occasion.

"I thank the people of Asansol for giving me the opportunity to serve democracy. I have to live up to the expectations of them and Mamata ji," he said, adding that he will not make any political speech at a film festival.

Turning to director Goutam Ghosh, Sinha said: "I call him my friend, philosopher and guide. Though I have done some 250 films, I rate 'Antarjali Yatra' (helmed by Ghosh) as an important film in my career."

Referring to his tryst with Bengal, he said: "I have always been an admirer of Satyajit Ray. Those who call me 'Mahan kalakar,' I tell them please reserve these words for Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak."

A rich bouquet of 163 films, including 47 from abroad, will be screened at 10 venues across the state from April 25 to May 1, chairman Raj Chakraborty said.

The inaugural film Aranyer Din Ratri was screened during the day, right after the ceremony.

Superstars Prasenjit Chatterjee, Dev, Parambrata Chatterjee, the CM's ministerial colleagues, TMC MLA from Ballygunge and singer Babul Supriyo were among those present at the event.

The KIFF has been accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Association, Belgium.