Bengaluru is all set to welcome the 17th edition of the Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFES), which will open on January 29 at 5 pm in front of the Vidhana Soudha. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the festival, with actor and festival ambassador Prakash Raj and actor Rukmini Vasanth attending as special guests. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, and Assembly Speaker UT Khader will also be present at the ceremony.
BIFFES 2026 is curated around the theme “The World in Bengaluru". The opening ceremony will begin with a World Music Symphony led by Dr Jyotsna Srikanth, featuring 35 musicians in a performance designed to reflect the festival’s international spirit. The inaugural screening will follow at 8 pm, with the Dutch film Port Baggage being screened as the opening title.
The festival will run from January 30 to February 6 and will present around 225 films from 65 countries, giving audiences a broad spectrum of world cinema that reflects social realities, cultural diversity, and evolving storytelling styles. Continuing its tradition of socially relevant themes, BIFFES 2026 adopts a line inspired by national poet Dr GS Shivarudrappa’s famous verse, with the festival tagline focusing on women’s sensibility and the call for equality.
This year’s key sections include the Asian Cinema Competition, Chitra Bharati (Indian Cinema Competition), Kannada Cinema Competition, Contemporary World Cinema, Kannada Popular Cinema, Biopics, Country Focus, Indian Regional Language Films, and Retrospectives, offering a wide mix of competition titles and curated showcases.
Special screenings will pay tribute to legends and global masters alike. These include five landmark Kannada films starring Dr Rajkumar, seven Polish-language films by acclaimed director Andrzej Wajda, notable works of Smita Patil, four major films by Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, award-winning films from leading international festivals, and restored classics from Indian cinema.
Beyond screenings, BIFFES 2026 will focus strongly on conversations around cinema. Daily masterclasses, lectures, and panel discussions will feature leading professionals from across departments. Prakash Raj will deliver a special lecture titled “Us and Our Cinema.” Other key speakers include editor Sreekar Prasad, director-editor Mahesh Narayanan, sound designer Bishwadeep Chatterjee, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, and director Girish Kasaravalli. AVK Murthy Memorial Lecture on cinematography will be delivered by senior cinematographer GS Bhaskar.