EntertainmentPosted at: Nov 6 2025 8:15PM


Curtain rises on 31st Kolkata International Film Festival

Kolkata, Nov 6 (UNI) The city of joy once again turned into a mosaic of world cinema as the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) commenced today evening, celebrating the unifying spirit of film and Bengal's enduring love affair with the silver screen.
The festival was inaugurated by veteran Bollywood actor and MP Shatrughan Sinha in the presence of a galaxy of celebrities from the Mumbai and Kolkata movie world.
Sinha declared the festival open, standing alongside West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, film makers Ramesh Sippy and Sujoy Ghosh, octogenarian singer Arati Mukherjee and former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly at the packed-to-capacity Dhana Dhanya auditorium here.
The ceremony was anchored by Parambrata Chattopadhyay and June Maliah, who kept the mood buoyant and warm.
Sourav Ganguly's wife, dancer Dona Ganguly took the centre stage as she performed on the song conceptualised and penned by CM Mamata Banerjee, titled "Esho moner dorja kholo, esho ekhoni alo jalo".
A bouquet of 215 films sourced from 39 countries would be showcased at the fest, which is scheduled to end on November 13, with Poland as the focus country.
With its enduring motto, "Where Cinema Connects The World", the festival - one of Asia's most distinguished platforms for world cinema - is set to highlight films related to sports and the environment.
The Chief Minister's address also reflected her admiration for the artistic community. "Cinema is not bound by language or border, it speaks directly to the soul."
Reverently invoking Bengal's cinematic legacy, she elaborated, "Bengal has always been a land of creativity, from Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen to the unforgettable icons Uttam Kumar and Soumitra Chatterjee. They have carried the name Bengal and made it a household phenomenon."
Features, shorts and documentaries in 18 Indian and 30 foreign languages are set to be screened across 21 venues.
The timeless Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen masterpiece "Saptapadi", setting the perfect tone for a festival rooted in Bengal's cinematic soul, was the inaugural film.
She also lauded KIFF's emphasis on linguistic diversity, with screenings of rare films in Tulu, Bodo, Kokborok, Santali and Konkani. "Without the grassroots, one cannot develop."
She further noted that this sends a powerful message that there is a platform for indigenous regional filmmakers and they are not alone.
In its centenary tributes, KIFF 2025 will honour legendary artists Ritwik Ghatak, Richard Burton, Salil Chowdhury and Sam Penkinpah.
Forty-three feature films, 19 shorts and 10 documentaries have been shortlisted for the competition section. UNI NST SS
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