The press conference for the 30^th Kolkata International Film Festival was organized in the presence of Aroop Biswas (Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Power, and Housing in the Government of West Bengal), Indranil Sen (Hon’ble MOS), Nicoals Facino (Director-Alliance Francaise du Bengale), Goutam Ghose, Chairman KIFF and other eminent guests.

The logo and the theme song of the festival were also released at the press conference.

The inaugural ceremony will take place on the 4^th of December at 4 pm at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium, Kolkata.

The inaugural film is Galpo Holeo Satti, a film by director Tapan Sinha. It will be screened at 5.30 pm at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium.

The focus country is France and 21 French films will be screened at the festival.

2459 films were submitted for participation in this film festival. 29 countries have participated in this film festival.

There are 20 venues where the films will be screened. The venues are Nandan I, Nandan II, Nandan III, Sisir Mancha, Rabindra Sadan, Nazrul Tirtha I, Navina, New Empire, Radha Studio, Ajanta Cinema, Rabindra Okakura Bhawan, Nazrul Tirtha II, Menoka Cinema, Star Theatre, South City, Quest Mall, Metro, Mani Square and Globe Cinema.

The number of films that will be screened is 175.

The centenary tribute will be given to Tapan Sinha, Marlon Brando, Marcello Mastroianni, Sergei Parajanov, Harisadhan Dasgupta, Arundhati Devi, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Banshi Chandra Gupta, Mohammad Rafi, Talat Mahmood and Madan Mohan.

The special tribute will be for Kumar Shahani, Alain Delon, Anup Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Gautam Halder, Utpalendu Chakraborty, and Manoj Mitra.

The festival will screen one film on 35 mm. The film is Debshishu by the late Utpalendu Chakraborty.

Cine adda will happen every evening at Ektara Mancha from 5^th to 11^th December.

The Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture will be delivered by R. Balki on 6^th December at 4 pm at Sisir Mancha.

The film festival will continue from 4^th December to 11^th December.

The closing ceremony will take place at Rabindra Sadan at 5 pm on 11^th December.

Priyanka Dutta