JOIN USAfter a two-year hiatus, BIFFes set to enthrall film buffs
The 13th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), to be held from March 3 to 10, promises to be a treat for film buffs. About 250 films from 55 countries will be screened across three venues in the city. For the first time, cinephiles can also watch films online.
Held at PVR Cinemas at Orion Mall, Suchitra Cine Academy, and Dr Rajkumar Bhavana (Kalavidara Sangha), the organisers say this edition is special as it had not been held for two years owing to the pandemic. “BIFFes has received accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Association and this recognition has catapulted the festival to another level. We will be showcasing a wide spectrum of Asian cinema,” Suneel Puranik, president Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy tells ‘Metrolife’.
Some of the new additions to this year’s festival include ‘Oscar Spectrum’, ‘Celebrating 50 years of Tulu Cinema’ and ‘Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav’, which celebrates 75 years of Independence through cinema.
Film appreciation
The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Performing Arts’ and the organisers have pieced together a melange of activities.
Suneel says that the hybrid model will attract people from across the state. “There will be masterclasses on all aspects of filmmaking from well-known film personalities. We also have a couple of film appreciation courses hosted by actor Prakash Belawadi,” explains Suneel.
Belawadi will be hosting the ‘Cinema Adda’ at Orion Mall and conducting the 15-film appreciation course at Suchitra Cine Society.
He says regular discussions and debates on films are important. “You must understand a film in its context, culture, and values. The time and setting a film is made also matter,” explains Prakash. The film appreciation course will be taken by 10 students. They will first watch 15 films and then talk about it. “The idea is to help them understand the nuances of filmmaking,” he adds.
Tribute to Puneeth
Three films, ‘Jackie’ (2010), ‘Bettada Hoovu’ (1985) and ‘Prithvi’ (2010), will be screened as part of a tribute to the late Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar.
“We also plan to invite directors such as Yogaraj Bhat, Santhosh Ananddram and Pavan Wadeyar to talk about Puneeth’s career and popularity,” says Suneel.
Pavan Wadeyar, writer and director, has directed Puneeth Rajkumar in ‘Rana Vikrama’ (2015) and ‘Natasaarvabhowma’ (2019). “Before I worked with Puneeth, I only knew him as the son of Dr Rajkumar. It was after interacting with him closely did I realise that he was not only a brilliant actor but a superb dancer as well.
He saw God in humanity. He was very considerate to the poor. I will speak about the humane side of Puneeth Rajkumar,” says Pavan.
In retrospective
There will also be a retrospective on Bharathi Vishnuvardhan. The veteran actor will be in conversation with actor Sudha Rani. Sharing her thoughts about BIFFes, actor Bharathi Vishnuvardhan says that such events help aspiring filmmakers.
“During my time, we never had acting schools or courses. We learnt everything on the job. The film industry is like an encyclopedia and I learnt about cinema just through observation and interaction. The industry is my teacher,” Bharathi tells Metrolife.
Three-time National Award-winning director Priyadarshan and actors Darshan and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan will grace the inauguration of the festival at the GKVK campus on March 3 at 4.30 pm.