140 movies to be screened in Bangalore film festival

Bangalore: About 140 films from 45 to 50 countries would be screened at this year`s Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFES), it was announced today.

The movies for the fifth edition, slated to be held from December 20 to 27, would be picked by an expert committee. Compared to the previous edition when 175 films were screened, the coming event would be on a lesser scale owing to reduced budgetary provision consequent to the severe drought in certain parts of the state, Chairperson of the Karnataka Chalachitra Academy, Tara Anuradha, told reporters here today. BIFFES is being organised by the Academy for Karnataka government and is supported by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. The competition section will only feature `desi` films this year, as it is the centenary year of Indian Cinema unlike last year when international films were also part of it. Seminars, master classes for students on different aspects of cinema and a forum for studying the growth of Indian Cinema to mark its centenary are also planned as part of the fifth edition. PTI