31st Kolkata International Film Festival inaugurated; To screen 215 films from 39 countries in 21 theaters

The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the city on Thursday (November 6, 2025). Next week, 215 films from 39 countries will be screened in 21 theaters in the city. Palestine’s films and Ritwik Ghatak’s films will be in the spotlight in this year’s film festival.

The KIFF program will showcase films from 6-13 November and this year’s focus country will be Poland. Veteran actor-turned-MP Shatrughan Sinha and veteran singer Arti Mukherjee were honored with the Banga Vibhushan Samman, the highest civilian award of the West Bengal government to honor distinguished individuals, at the inaugural ceremony held at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata.

KIFF President Gautam Ghosh said during the inauguration, “The world is now more divided than ever, intolerance is on the rise in an era beset by greed, yet cinema continues to shine as a beacon amidst the chaos. This year we are highlighting a new segment – ​​Beyond Borders, with films exploring the themes of displacement and migration.”

Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, who is known for making Vidya Balan-starrer films. Story Said that cinema is the identity of Kolkata and its people. Mr. Ghosh said, “Kolkata itself is an actor… Not only are we addicted to cinema, but Kolkata itself lives and breathes cinema.”

“You will see that Bengal can produce so many good films. We are honored to have the presence of so many ambassadors here. This is a global platform where cinema can connect the world and humanity because cinema has no boundaries. The world is one and we are one,” Ms Banerjee said during her speech at the inaugural ceremony. He also encouraged the screening of regional, local and rare films at the festival and said that such recognition can help marginalized voices come forward in the cinematic world.

Movie starring Uttam Kumar and Suchita Sen, Saptapadi Displayed at the inauguration ceremony on Thursday.

celebration of films

First started in 1995, the Kolkata International Film Festival is one of the largest and oldest film festivals in the country. love palestinian movies Songe Palestine 36 by director Rashid Mashrawy (Passing Dreams) and Palestine 36 by director Annemarie Zakir will be screened during the 7-day festival.

Ritwik Ghatak will also be honored at the festival as it is the director’s 100th birth anniversary. As a part of the centenary tribute, Ghatak’s films include non mechanical (1958), take turn contracts (1958), clouds dhaka star (1960), soft myrrh (1961), titas ekti nadir name (1973), and subarnarekha (1965) will be screened. They will also organize a seminar and Ritwik Ghatak memorial conversation between filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Anup Singh.

Centenary tributes are also being organized in honor of Welsh actor Richard Burton, American filmmaker Sam Peckinpah and actor Santosh Dutta, music director Salil Choudhary and Indian filmmaker Raj Khosla.

Films of Shyam Benegal, Claudia Cardinale, David Lynch, Robert Redford, Arun Roy, Raja Mitra and Shashi Anand are also scheduled to be screened at KIFF as part of a special tribute.

veteran director of cinderRamesh Sippy will deliver this year’s famous talk on November 7 at the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture, which remains one of the top attractions of the film festival every year.