Amid surge in cases, 27th edition of KIFF postponed

Kolkata: The 27th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) has been postponed for the time being in view of the surge in Covid cases and with several members of the festival committee getting infected. The KIFF was slated to be held between January 7 and 14.

KIFF chairperson Raj Chakraborty and some other members of the organising committee tested Covid positive, and so the decision of deferring the festival was taken.

The state Information and Cultural Affairs department informed that the festival has been temporarily postponed and its next date will be announced later.

"After assessing the present Covid situation of the State and taking into consideration the possibility of further contamination of Covid among the cine lovers and citizens and also owing to the fact that a number of cine personalities attached to the film festival committee and many others have been affected by Covid, State Government, upon careful consideration to the safety of the citizens have decided to temporarily postpone the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival scheduled to be held between 7-14 January, 2022.

Next date of the Festival will be communicated in due course," read the statement issued by the department.

Late on Tuesday evening, Raj Chakraborty tweeted that he has tested Covid positive and on Wednesday afternoon, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, chairperson of short and documentary section and also a member of the KIFF advisory committee, tweeted that he was also infected.

According to Nabanna sources, Chakraborty on Wednesday morning spoke to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the telephone and the decision of postponing the festival was taken.