KIFF this year to be held from 6-13 Nov
The Statesman | 30 October 2025Saptapadi (1961) by filmmaker Ajoy Kar, which is considered one of the greatest romantic epic dramas in Bengali language, would be screened as the inaugural movie on 6 November at 5.30 p.m.
According to the state power minister, Aroop Biswas, the 31st edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), which is to be held at Dhano Dhanyo Auditorium, would be inaugurated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on 6 November. The film festival witnessed a huge number of applications from across the globe. As informed by Mr Biswas, a total of 1,827 applications were submitted for participation in the festival. Of this, around 215 films from diverse sections, shorts, documentaries, world cinema, Asian cinema, Indian Panorama and Bengali Panorama. Last year, 180 films including acclaimed movies, short films, documentaries and so on from 29 countries were screened at the 30th KIFF.
“This time, we have given emphasis on sports movies,” informed Mr Biswas. “Also, since global warming is prevailing all over, great emphasis on the environment has also been given. Four movies on environment are being screened at this film festival,” pointed out the state sports and youth affairs minister during a Press meet on the upcoming 31st KIFF.
This year, the selected 215 films from 39 countries, some of which have been a part of eminent film festivals are to be screened at 21 venues. For the joy of the cinephiles of Kolkata, who make a beeline for catching glimpses of handpicked cinemas from various corners of the world, the 31st KIFF is to have 18 films in Indian language and 30 movies in foreign languages. Celebrated actor of Bengali and Hindi cinema, Pradeep Kumar is to have the centre stage for his birth centenary year, this time. As the evergreen film Sholay has completed 50 years, its director, who is an eminent filmmaker of Bollywood, Ramesh Sippy would deliver the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture on 7 November.
One of the key attractions of the 31st edition of the international film festival in the city, this time, would be the inclusion of a special section, celebrating 150 years of our national song, Vande Mataram. The KIFF authorities have decided to screen the legendary movie Ananda Math to celebrate the 150 years of our national song as well as an honour to the veteran actor Pradeep Kumar who gave Indian cinema all time hit films like Taj Mahal (1963), Nagin (1954)and Anarkali (1953).
With Poland as the focus country, a bouquet of Polish films along with a seminar on Polish Cinema is also to be a part of the event.
