Poland, unheard India, and centenary tributes highlight 31st KIFF

The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), themed “Where Cinema Connects The World,” is all set to captivate cinephiles from 6–13 November 2025. The festival promises a celebration of both Indian and international cinema, with screenings, tributes, and competitions spread across multiple venues in the city. Ahead of the inaugural ceremony at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium on 6 November, a star-studded press meet was held yesterday, attended by renowned actors Prasenjit Chatterjee, Koel Mollick, and June Malia. Speaking at the event, Prasenjit highlighted the city’s enduring love for cinema, saying, “After Durga Puja and Kali Puja, the film festival is something that Kolkata waits for.

During my time, we would sit on the hall floor and watch movies. It was intimate and nostalgic — cinema was a celebration we all looked forward to.” Koel Mollick shared a similar sentiment, noting, “For the people of Kolkata, the festival, coming after Durga Puja and Kali Puja, is like another festival.

It’s a time when the city comes together to celebrate storytelling, creativity, and imagination.”

The inaugural film this year is the classic Bengali comedy Saptapadi (1961), scheduled for screening on 6 November. The festival brochure highlights a rich variety of programming, including a Focus Country segment featuring 19 Polish films and the Unheard India section showcasing 8 rare language films from across the country. This year’s Centenary Tribute is headlined by Ritwik Ghatak, with additional tributes to international icons such as Richard Burton and Robert Redford, as well as Indian filmmakers including Raja Mitra, Shashi Anand, and Arun Roy. The festival also features multiple competition sections, including the International Competition, Indian Panorama, Bengali Panorama, and Indian Short Films, with awards detailed in the festival programme. According to the brochure, films from 39 countries in various languages will be screened, covering a diverse mix of features, shorts, and documentaries. While some exact numbers of films and submissions are awaiting official confirmation, the scale of the festival underscores KIFF’s reputation as one of India’s most comprehensive international film festivals. In its programme notes, the festival is described as “where imagination reigns, boundaries blur, and cinema continues to challenge the ordinary.

” With a combination of retrospectives, world premieres, and tributes to cinematic legends, the 31st KIFF reinforces Kolkata’s identity as a city that truly cherishes the art of cinema. From nostalgic memories of audiences sitting on the floor to watch films in earlier decades to today’s state-of-the-art screenings, the festival continues to unite generations and celebrate storytelling in all its forms.