The Chief Minister addressed the media following the preparatory meeting of the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) and outlined several key decisions and arrangements related to the event. The 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival will be held from January 29 to February 6. Senior actor, director, and producer Prakash Raj has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the 17th International Film Festival.
The inauguration ceremony of the international film festival will take place on the grand steps in front of Vidhana Soudha. The theme of this year’s film festival will focus on women empowerment. Film screenings will be held across 11 screens at Cinepolis located in Lulu Mall, Rajajinagar. The process of accepting film entries for the Asian, Indian, and Kannada competitive sections of the Bengaluru International Film Festival has begun and has received a good response. So far, more than 110 films have been submitted across these three competitive categories.
The last date for submission of films to the competitive sections is December 31, 2025. In addition to Lulu Mall, film screenings will also be conducted at Dr. Rajkumar Bhavan, Kalavidara Sangha, Chamarajapete, and Suchitra Film Society theatres in Banashankari. The festival will feature over 200 films from more than 60 countries, including Kannada and Indian films, with over 400 screenings scheduled.
Films that have participated in major international film festivals and received awards and recognition will be showcased at the event. These include films screened at Cannes (France), Berlin (Germany), Venice (Italy), Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), Locarno (Switzerland), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Busan (South Korea), and Toronto (Canada). These films will be available for audiences to watch at the Bengaluru International Film Festival.
Additionally, films from various countries that have been shortlisted for the Oscar Awards will also be screened during the festival. Cultural institutions including the Polish Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Goethe-Institut – Max Mueller Bhavan, Bengaluru, Alliance Française – French Institute, and the Royal Thailand Consulate are presenting selected films from their respective countries at the festival.
In collaboration with the Polish Cultural Centre, a special retrospective of selected films by renowned Polish director Andrzej Wajda will be organized to mark his centenary. Further, in association with Alliance Française Bengaluru and the French Institute in India, a special film series documenting the history of African cinema will be screened during this year’s festival.
To accommodate a larger number of registered delegates, a special stage will be set up at the festival’s main venue for film academic programmes. At the same venue, a photography exhibition showcasing milestones of the Kannada film industry, reflecting 91 years of cinema history, will also be organized.
For organizing the 17th International Film Festival under the 2025–26 budget, an allocation of Rs 7 crore has been provided. The Chief Minister stated that during the closing ceremony, awards for Best Films and Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented.
The preparatory meeting was attended by Film Academy President Sadhu Kokila, Information Department Secretary B.B. Kaveri, Commissioner Hemanth Nimbalkar, Additional Chief Secretary Anjum Parvez, Principal Secretary of the Finance Department Ritesh Kumar Singh, along with academy members, organizing committee members, and representatives of the Film Chamber of Commerce.
