Mamata Banerjee announces the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival to be held this December

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) will take place from December 4 to 11 this year. Acclaimed filmmaker Goutam Ghose will serve as the festival's chairman, replacing Raj Chakraborty, who has stepped down from the position this year.

Raj Chakraborty served the Kolkata International Film Festival for more than five years but had requested Mamata Banerjee to relieve him of his duties last year, a request that has now been granted. The post of vice-chairman has been given to actor Prosenjit Chatterjee who is to form a team with Ghose. “They are going to decide on a committee on their own and start their work to carry on the legacy of the film festival like every year,” said Mamata Banerjee at the press conference. “As you have seen, every year there is some new innovation in this festival of movies, and this year will be no different,” she added.

This announcement was made during an event held at the Dhanadhanya auditorium, marking the 44th death anniversary of Bengali film legend Uttam Kumar. During the star-studded function, Banerjee emphasised the festival's commitment to showcasing outstanding global and Indian cinema, maintaining its tradition of diverse and high-quality content. She shared personal memories of watching Uttam Kumar's films and how the 'mahanayak' is imbibed in the culture and identity of Bengal. Special honours were also awarded, including the 'Mahanayak Samman' in memory of Uttam Kumar.