Feeling that you have had an extra dose of masala movies or even action flicks? Then try the Bengaluru International Film Festival (Biffes) that the City is hosting.

Bringing to Bangalore the world cinema for the second year consecutively is Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy in partnership with the State and the Kannada film industry.

For those with a penchant for parallel cinema, the festival has in offing movies from over 40 countries including France, Poland, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Canada, Norway, Germany, Japan, Hungary, Iran and Africa.

But the film festival is more than just screening and viewing good cinema, says Biffes-08 Director Girish Kasaravalli, who took time off to speak to Metrolife.

Biffes is all about….

Exposing people to world cinema. The festival is not just a platform to view films. Biffes is about understanding the aesthetics of film-making, through discussions and various interactive sessions being held as a part of the event.

Does the festival come as a motivation to aspiring film-makers?

Such festivals are a good platform for any film-maker. It is more about how one uses it.  Not only does the maker get a feedback but also a chance to interact with other film-makers. Activities such as these inspire one to think and make quality cinema.

Do you think the participation of youth in such festivals is limited to just viewing cinema? 

Our perception of a country or a culture is influenced by the media. It is a case of third person imaging. But films showcased here allow us access to an insider’s point of view. It is as good as stepping into their shoes and understanding their problems, dreams, aspirations and culture, in short their reality. This may lead to a change in perceptions, make one revisit decisions. And who knows the bombarding of images may even trigger some to make films.

What needs to be done to encourage the making of such cinema in our country?

See, the commercial industry is so strong that it kills the creative urge in a film-maker. Also our film-making system is compartmentalised. So movies are no less than a factory product, but in countries like Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, an individual makes a film. Also only when one thinks of catering to souls rather than just going after technology, more quality cinema can be made here.  However, what assumes greater importance is the venue of release. Only when there is an opportunity to view parallel cinema will it be possible to encourage more and more people to make such movies.