The 8th edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival is all set to begin on January 28th 2015. Here are the highlights, according to a press note:

• The 8th Bengaluru International Film Festival which is being conducted from January 28th to February 4th will witness many firsts.
• For the first time, the Chief Minster is leading the International Film Festival’s Organising Committee. The Minster for Information and Public Relations is the executive Chairman.  Actress and Member Legislative Council Smt. Jayamala is the artistic Director. 
• The 8th edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival will be held in Bengaluru and Mysuru simultaneously. The inauguration of the Festival will be held on the evening of Thursday, January 28th at Vidhana Soudha, and the closing ceremony and award distribution on the evening of Thursday, February 4th at Mysuru.
• Regular screenings for delegates will commence on January 29th. The screenings will be held for the first time under one roof at 11 screens in PVR Cinemas, Orion Mall, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru and at 4 screens in INOX Cinemas, Mall of  Mysuru.
• Over 170 films from 61 countries will be screened in this 7-day festival.
• There will be three Competition sections: Asian Competition (12 films); Indian Competition (13 films); Kannada Competition (15 films)
• There will be an additional International Jury for Kannada Cinema.
• Like in the previous editions, the films will be screened under:

1. 1. Contemporary Cinema of world
   2. Country Focus: Mexico, Iran, Turkey
   3. Directors’ Retrospectives: Istvan Szabo of Hungary and Nils Malmros of Denmark
   4. Artist Retrospective: Dr. B. Sarojadevi
   5. Dada Saheb Phalke Award Winners’ Vintages :  Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan
   6. Tributes : Siddalingaiah and KSL Swamy (Ravee)

• A new section for documentary films is being started from this edition.
• A good number of best films screened at major international film festivals of Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Goa, Mumbai, Kerala etc., will be screened here.
• Films made by world renowned filmmakers such as Istvan Szabo from Hungary, Jafer Panahi from Iran, Jia Zhang Ke from China, Hou Hsiao-Hsien from Japan, Emin Alper from Turkey, Jacques Audiard from France, Christian Petzold from Germany, Nanni Moretti from Italy and others are being screened in the event.
• More than 50 foreign delegates are expected to participate in the festival.
• Delegate registration will commence from tomorrow at: Badami House, N.R. Square, Bengaluru 560002 and Suchitra Film Society, BSK Stage, Bengaluru – 560070 premises. Registration facility will also be extended to Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce premises in Bengaluru and Information Department Office at Mysuru shortly.  Online registration facility is also available. Delegate fee:  Rs. 600/- for General public, and Rs 300/- for Students, Film Society members, Senior citizens and KFCC film family.
• The other Committee members are N S Chennappa Gowda, Secretary, Kannada, Culture, and Information and Public Relations Department, S V Rajendrasingh Babu, Chairman, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, N R Vishukumar, Director of Information and Public Relations Department. Dr. Girish Kasaravalli, Renowned Film Maker, T S Nagabharana, Noted Director, R P Sharma, IPS, Kum. Radhika Pandith, Film Actress, N Vishakha, Journalist, Chief, Central Film Censor Board,  President, Film Society and Nunjundegowda, Chairman, Children’s India. 
• VidyaShankar, noted Film Expert, will be the Executive Art Director of BIFFES
• Shankar Mohan, who was the Director of International Film Festival held at Goa will be the Advisor.

KANNADA CINEMA COMPETITION

INDIAN CINEMA COMPETITION

ASIAN CINEMA COMPETITION