31st Kolkata International Film Festival inaugurated; to showcase 215 films from 39 nations across 21 theatres

The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) was inaugurated in the city on Thursday (November 6, 2025) by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the next week, 215 films from 39 countries are to be showcased across 21 theatres in the city. Movies from Palestine and films by Ritwik Ghatak are to be in the limelight in this year’s film festival. 

The KIFF program will showcase films from November 6-13 and this year’s focus country will be Poland. The inauguration conducted at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata honoured veteran actor-turned MP Shatrughan Sinha and veteran singer Arati Mukherjee with the Banga Bibhushan Samman, the highest civilian award by the West Bengal government to recognise distinguished individuals. 

“The world is now more divided than ever, surging intolerance in an age clouded by greed, yet cinema continues to shine as a beacon amidst chaos. This year we shine the spotlight on a new section – Beyond Borders, with films exploring themes of displacement and migration,” Gautam Ghose, chairperson of KIFF, said during the inauguration. 

While filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, who is known for making Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani said that for Kolkata and its people, cinema is its identity. “Kolkata itself is an actor… not only are we addicted to cinema, but even Kolkata herself lives and breathes cinema,” Mr Ghosh added. 

“You will see that Bengal can produce so many good films. We are honoured to have so many ambassadors present 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 inauguration ceremony. She also encouraged the showcasing of regional, local, and rare films at the festival and noted that such recognition can help marginalised voices come forward in the cinematic world. 

Uttam Kumar and Suchita Sen-starrer movie, Saptapadi was screened at the inaugural ceremony on Thursday. 

A celebration of films 

First started in 1995, the Kolkata International Film Festival is one of the largest and oldest film festivals in the country. Palestinian films like Songe (Passing Dreams) by director Rashid Masharawi and Palestine 36 by director Annemarie Jacir will be screened during the 7-day festival. 

The festival will also honour Ritwik Ghatak as it is the director’s 100th year birth anniversary. As part of a Centenary Tribute, Ghatak’s films including Ajantrik (1958), Bari Theke Paliye (1958), Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), Titas Ekti Nadir Naam (1973), and Subarnarekha (1965) will be screened. They will also hold a seminar and a Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation between filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Anup Singh. 

Centenary tributes are also being held in honour of Welsh actor Richard Burton, American filmmaker Sam Peckinpah, and actor Santosh Dutta, music director Salil Chowdhury, and filmmaker Raj Khosla from India. 

The films of Shyam Benegal, Claudia Cardinale, David Lynch, Robert Redford, Arun Roy, Raja Mitra and Shashi Anand are also set to be screened in the KIFF as part of a special tribute. 

The veteran director of Sholay, Ramesh Sippy will deliver this year’s celebrated talk at the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture on November 7 which remains one of the top highlights of the film festival every year.