BIFFes all set to kick-off on February 29

The opening film of the festival will be Bonjour Switzerland, 180 films from 50 countries will be screened across sections and an editing masterclass by Kai Eiermann will also be held.

Bengaluru: The 15th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) will be inaugurated on February 29 at Vidhana Soudha by CM Siddaramaiah along with guests of honour — filmmaker Jabbar Patel who is known for his biographical film Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Kannada film star Shivarajkumar, Bangladeshi actor Azmeri Bandhon and Czech film critic and academician Viera Langerova.

The inauguration will be followed by a performance by three-times Grammy Award winner, Ricky Kej. After the performances, the opening film of the festival Bonjour Switzerland directed by Peter Luisi will be screened.

Bonjour Switzerland is an interesting comedy drama about the multi-lingual country which is left in a crisis after a public vote to choose a single national language is passed.

180 films from 50 countries will be screened across sections, among which 30 Kannada films will be screened to celebrate 90 years of Kannada cinema and 50 years of Karnataka.

Germany is the country in focus. In collaboration with the Goethe-Institut (Max Mueller Bhavan), the festival will screen eight films and have an editing masterclass by Kai Eiermann, the editor of The Ordinaries.

In a press conference, artistic director N Vidyashankar spoke about how technology has evolved over the years. "We've not received a single film physically. All the films have come in the DCP format," he said. Vidyashankar also added, "although BIFFes is the last festival on the calendar, we have received about 30 India premieres."

A Bodo language film from Assam, Wild Swans which discusses patriarchy, will be screened, followed by a discussion on gender sensitivity in cinema by the Karnataka Women Writers Association. Filmmaker Jabbar Patel will hold a session on constitutional values in the Indian cinema.

The Incredible India section will feature films in Tulu, Kodava, Banjara, Arebashe, Markodi, Galo, Rabha, Santhali and Taiphake languages.

Documentaries and short films based on the festival's theme - 'human dignity, social justice, environmental concerns and correcting gender equalities' - will be the special focus.

BIFFes will also have masterclasses on cinematography, art and production design, sessions on film criticism, film co-production and marketing possibilities, and impact of AI in cinema.

Apart from retrospectives of the pioneers of Indian parallel cinema and the Iranian New Wave, Mrinal Sen and Abbas Kiarostami respectively, the festival will also celebrate the birth centenaries of cinematographer N G Rao and music director Vijay Bhaskar.

There will also be a panel discussion on Vijay Bhaskar's contribution to music in cinema. BIFFes will also hold special screenings of the films of yesteryear Kannada actor and producer Leelavathi, filmmakers Bhagwan and C V Shivshankar and singer Vani Jayaram.

Films will be screened for the public from March 1 to 7 at PVR cinemas, Orion Mall, Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy and Dr Rajkumar Bhavana, Karnataka Chalanachitra Kalavidara Sangha.

Online delegate registrations will close on February 28 and for further details biffes.org can be visited.