During the inaugural function, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, who was the chief guest, reminisced about his early days in Kolkata, expressing his affection for the city where he began his acting journey. He received a picture from Nicolas Facino, reminiscent of his first film shooting experience, and lauded the contributions of director and cinematographer Nimay Ghosh.

He said,”Kolkata means a lot to me because I started my career here. Kahan se Guzar Gaya was my first film, which was shot in 1980. This is one of the best cinema destinations and both France and Bengal have some of the best filmmakers.”

The festival is divided into four sections: French New Wave, French Contemporary Films, Films for Young Audiences, and Indian Filmmakers featured in the Cannes Film Festival.

(Taniya Acherjee works as an intern in the Kolkata office of the Indian Express)