Decks cleared for BIFFes

Finance Department clears funds for film festival in the nick of time

S Shyam Prasad | NT

Bengaluru: The suspense over the 14th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) has been cleared. This year, the festival was supposed to be held from March 3, which marks the release of the first Kannada talkie film in 1934.

But even the preparations for this year’s event have not begun as the government had forgotten to release the funds to the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) which conducts the festival. There was good news awaiting KCA’s new incumbent chairperson Ashok Cashyap when he entered the office on Friday morning.

Speaking to News Trail, he said, “Yes, the news is true. It has been an anxious wait, but the concerned minister and officers worked overtime to ensure that the funds were released. We are ready to host the festival in a much bigger and grand way than in earlier years.”

Last year, Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai announced that henceforth the film festival would be held from March 3 to March 10. March 3 marks the anniversary of the release of the first-ever Kannada talkie film, Sati Sulochana, in 1934. With just 25 days remaining, it seems like a run against time. Cashyap however is not worried about the paucity of time.

“The date of the festival will be announced by the concerned minister within the next few days. Our team is already making preparations. Usually, it takes 30 to 45 days for the selection process of films. This time, we hope to finish it much quicker using an alternate method. I was a jury for the Indian Panorama. Four teams watched films and pooled their selections, which was then watched by all members. This way, we can save time.” Revenue Minister R Ashoka is in charge of the festival issues and he is likely to announce the dates.

Sources say that the festival could be held in the last week of March instead of the first week. The timing will be crucial as the Assembly elections are approaching and if the Election Commission of India announces the schedule, the coming into effect of the moral code of conduct would play a dampener on the event.

Cashyap is a veteran of 40 years who is one of the best-known cinematographers in Sandalwood. He has been jury and part of many film festivals over the decades and brings a vast amount of experience to KCA.

“We have many plans for the festival. I can assure yo u t h at it will be the biggest of BIFFes so far. A pa - per-less app-based e n t r y fo r delegates and movie-buffs is getting ready. Those attending the festival will be pampered with great films and royal treatment.”