In a first of its kind, Alliance Francaise du Bengale, West Bengal Film Centre, and Nandan come together to present the debut edition of the French Film Festival, to commence in the city from February 16 to 24. The opening of the film festival will be graced by actor Anil Kapoor, director Anurag Kashyap, actor-director-musician Anjan Dutt, and actor Rituparna Sengupta. The closing ceremony will be equally enjoyable with directors Sudhir Mishra, Goutam Ghosh, actor Mia Maelza and French Ambassador Thierry Mathou.
Didier Talpain, consul general of France in Kolkata gives a sneak peek and mentions, “It is always very exciting to start a new and ambitious project especially when it has to do with culture. India is a great country for cinema, one of the greatest in the world, and so is France. Therefore the newly born first French Film Festival of Kolkata is a promising enterprise with a large scope. No less than nine days (plus one full night devoted to short films) and dozens of screenings for all kinds of tastes…”
The highlights of the festival include the division of films into various sections including the French New Wave, French Contemporary Films, and Indian filmmakers at the Cannes, Young audience, and films adapted from literature including The Three Musketeers and Asterix and Obelix. A total of 42 screenings have been scheduled with around 28 full-length movies.
Nicolas Fascino, director, of Alliance Francaise du Bengale mentions, “This festival celebrates the artistry of the silver screen and aims to share the finest of French cinema with the discerning audiences of Bengal. From captivating premiers to gripping dramas, our lineup promises a blend of emotion, action, and literary adaptations.”