Issue 6 | 23 Dec. 2006

At Suchitra Bengalooru Intnl Film Fest
A World of Cinema Beckons Fans

For hardcore film buffs, this week is packed with entertainment that will be a perfect way to see off 2006. The Suchitra Bengalooru International Film Fest 2006 will showcase the best of world and Indian classics, contemporary Indian cinema, French comedies, a retro on Kannada films, and more, for over a week from Dec 21. The Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy presided over the inaugural ceremony on the opening day at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Eminent film maker Shyam Benegal who is also the President of the Federation of Film Societies of India, M.V. Krishnaswamy, the doyen of Kannada cinema and the first Kannadiga to hold the prestigious post of the Director of Film Festivals, Govt. of India, I. M. Vittal Murthy, IAS, Secretary, Kannada and Culture, Information and Tourism, Govt. of Karnataka, Mr. Tallam Nanjunda Setty, President, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and Smt Parvathamma Rajkumar chaired the inaugural. A galaxy of foreign and Indian delegates will be presented to the distinguished audience comprising leading stars, producers, directors and technicians, top govt. officers, cultural celebrities, leading citizens and cineasts.

The festival will be held in three leading theatres in the heart of the city, Tribhuvan,
Kailash and Movieland. Kannada films will be exclusively screened at Kailash.

The Deputy Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa, flagged off the Kannada section of the Festival held at the Tribhuvan theatre on Friday, which opened with the screening of Bettada Hoovu starring Puneeth Rajkumar.

The festival will have 10 different sections viz. Cinema of the World; world classics; contemporary Indian cinema; Indian classics; retrospective of films by Nagisa Oshima; tribute to Cinematographer V. K. Murthy; felicitations to Cinematographer S. Ramachandra; French comedies; retrospective of Kannada films; and student cinema.

A lecture demonstration on Digital Technology, world cinema's latest innovation, will be presented by well known Director V. K. Prakash. A few one minute short films by the ace Indian cinematographer Ramachandra Babu, which are unique three shot narrations of short stories, will also be screened along with some short films made by the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

A highlight of the festival will be interface sessions between the representatives of some of the films being screened and the audience and the media. Different media organizations in the city will be conducting open fora at the Green House every afternoon on various subjects of contemporary interest. Leading lights of Kannada cinema will take part in the sessions.

Veteran film journalist P.G. Sreenivasa Murthy and veteran photographer D.C. Nagesh will present a photo exhibition of Dr. Rajkumar and stills from landmark Kannada films.

Delegate passes can be collected either from Suchitra Film Society, 9th Main (B. V. Karanth Road), Banashankari 2nd stage, Bangalore  - 560070 (Ph 26711785) or from the Festival office opposite Hotel Kanishka, Gandhinagar, B'lore-9 (Ph65755024). Delegate fee is Rs 600 and special discounts are available for students.