The atmosphere was truly electrifying. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, set the ball rolling for the 26th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at the famous Netaji Indoor Stadium. Often referred to as India’s oldest film festival and the cradle of avant-garde cinema, KIF continues to be the confluence of art and heartfelt emotion, which was evidently the mainstay this time too. The festival took the form of a homage to Bengal’s film past while being profoundly receptive to future cinematic voices.
The stage was decorated with spectacle not only of art but also the envied cultural magnificence of Bengal. Mamata, the Didi of Bengal, robed in her usual but elegant white cotton saree, talked with the fraternity through her speech which seemingly was a direct communication. What she meant by that is, the power of cinema to connect people irrespective of their geographic and lingual difference was the subject of the entire speech. “Films connect us,” she asserted. “They teach us the language of human emotions through which we come to feel the heroes’ joy, pain, and aspirations. KIFF is a platform that brings together humanity and creativeness.”
Present are 60+ country films whose makers did and do not necessarily share a similar prejudicial outlook or school of art. The festival of fests in 2025 has in its line-up the eclectic mix of indie filmmakers’ pandemonium debut and celebrated directors’ serene return to share the new. KIFF 2025 is like a ride on the cinematic carousel, a journey through the movies from the last year and the current one. The festival has special tributes to the maestro Mrinal Sen and the revolutionary Ritwik Ghatak which serves to link not only the past to the present but also Bengal to the world.
With a bang and hence the gala, the opening night film—a Bengali narrative of the resilience of everyday people—managed to hit the mark and get the reward of a standing ovation from the audience. KIFF 2025 is not only showcasing films but will also be having panel discussions, workshops, and talks by filmmakers encouraging the youth to grab the torch and the chance.
The closing of the day saw the hall fired with a sense of oneness—the common denominator was the love for and the perennial charm of the silver screen. At that juncture, Kolkata was, again, the very city of culture, compassion, and creativity it has always been. It’s time for KIFF 2025, not only as the festival of films but also as the reminder of tales which are the real binding factor of humanity.
