17th Bengaluru International Film Festival will be held from Jan 29 to Feb 6

Bengaluru, Dec 23 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival will be held from January 29 to February 6 in the city.

He said that he will inaugurate the film festival at an event that will be held on the grand steps in front of the Vidhana Soudha, and senior film artiste, director and producer Prakash Raj has been appointed as the ambassador for the festival.

"Bengaluru International Film Festival will be held from January 29 to February 6 in the city. This time the film festival theme is likely to be women empowerment, it is yet to be decided. The films of the festival will be screened at 11 screens of Cinepolis at Lulu Mall, Rajajinagar," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the process of submitting applications for competition in Asian, Indian, and Kannada cinema categories has begun, and it has received a good response. "Applications from more than 110 films have been received so far... the last date for submission of applications is December 31." "Along with Lulu Mall in Rajajinagar, the films will also be screened at Dr Rajkumar Bhavan, Artists' Association, Chamarajpet and Suchitra Film Society cinemas in Banashankari," he said, adding that there will be more than 400 screenings of 200 films from more than 60 countries, including Kannada and Indian films.

The CM said, the best films from India and abroad, which have participated in prestigious film festivals around the world and won various awards and recognition, are participating in the film festival.

"Films that have participated in film festivals at Cannes (France), Berlin (Germany), Venice (Italy), Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), Locarno (Switzerland), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Busan (South Korea), Toronto (Canada) and won awards and accolades will be available for cinema lovers to watch at one place at the festival," he said, adding that the best films from various countries that have been shortlisted for this year's Oscars will also be screened at our film festival.

Siddaramaiah said a series of special films documenting the history of African cinema is also being screened at this year's film festival in collaboration with Alliance Francaise Bangalore and the French Institute in India.

The required grant of Rs 7 crore has been provided for organising the festival this year, the Chief Minister's office said, adding that the closing ceremony will award the best films, Lifetime Achievement Award. PTI KSU KH