BIFFES 2020 to feature biopics, regional movies

From Feb 26–March 4

Biopics of prominent people, special regional films and workshops on script writing promise a feast for film lovers and creators at the 12th Bengaluru International Film Festival, schedule to kick-off on February 26. The event will conclude on March 4.

Unlike in the past, when the festival was inaugurated in front of the Vidhana Soudha, BIFFES 2020 will have a grand opening ceremony at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, where Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will inaugurate the event.

Sunil Puranik, chairperson, Karnataka Film Academy, said 200 films from around 60 countries will compete in four categories — Asian, National, Kannada and Kannada popular entertainer.

Addressing mediapersons, Puranik said: “This year’s festival will have special films from various regional languages of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam, showcasing cultural diversity.”

Registrations, open since February 5, is strictly online. Puranik said movies will be screened at 11 screens in Orion Mall, Rajajinagar.

“Considering the growing response for popular cinemas, screening has also been organised for the first time in Navarang Theatre in Rajajinagar, where 7,000-8,000 people can simultaneously watch films,” he said. “Two small venues — Dr Raj Kumar auditorium at Kalavidara Sangha in Chamarajpet and Suchitra Film Society, Banashankari II Stage — have also been chosen for the screening of the films.”

BIFFES will screen biopics of Pandit Rajiv Taranath, musician and artist Helen Reddy, Kannada writer S L Bhyrappa, Kannada playwright and Jnanapith awardee Prof Chandrashekar Kambar and legendary cinematographer V K Murthy. This apart, films on lives of several Russian personalities will also be screened.

2-day workshop

With a view to nurture local talent, a two-day scriptwriting workshop has been organised with the regular events. “Claire Dobbin, Australian script advisor, will hold one-on-one classes on techniques of writing effective and meaningful scripts,” Puranik said.

Web series, censor rights and piracy

To educate local professionals and amateurs on issues plaguing the industry, Karnataka Film Directors Association (KANFIDA) has partnered with BIFFES for the first time to set up a ‘film bazaar’ during the festival.

“KANFIDA has proposed to hold an interactive session on crafting a web series and building episodic drama, piracy control and protection of IP rights, censor and regional emotions and green film making, with an aim of creating a steady supply pool that could come up with quality films in the coming days,” Puranik said.

BIFFES has also partnered with Purple Arrow for a live demonstration and sessions on planning computer graphics for films, VFX technology and future digital streaming.

A new section has been added this year called ‘Indian Musical Tradition and Cinema’, which will screen films on Thyagaraja, Purandaradasa, Swati Tirunal, Tansen, Baiju Bawra and Meera.

Organisers have so far received 94 entries under the Indian category and 126 under the Kannada cinema category. “In each of these, we have place only for 12 cinemas and the selection is in progress. It is tough to choose between so many. Of over 700 world cinema, we have chosen the best 100 movies with a wide range of global presence,” said BIFFES artistic director, N Vidyashankar.