The Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF), set to be the first international film festival in Chandigarh, has unveiled its line-up of 67 titles. Scheduled from March 27 to 31, the festival will feature a diverse selection, including world cinema, Indian feature films, classics, and short films.
The opening film is the French culinary drama “The Taste of Things,” starring Juliette Binoche and directed by Tran Anh Hung. The festival’s closing film is the South Korean horror drama “Exhuma” (‘Pamyo’), the highest-grossing film in South Korea for 2024.
CIFF will showcase 24 award-winning international features in the World Cinema section, 17 indie gems in India Unveiled, 27 shorts in Brief Encounters, a curated section of children’s films, and timeless classics from directors like Satyajit Ray and Guru Dutt.
The festival will screen acclaimed films, including the Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest,” Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Monster,” last-year’s best actor Oscar winner “The Whale,” and the documentary “Seven Winters in Tehran.”
Indian features and documentaries, such as Marathi film “Sthal,” Assamese film “Tora’s Husband” by Rima Das, Punjabi feature “Adh Chanani Raat” by Gurvinder Singh, and Malayalam film “Malaikottai Vaaliban” by Lijo Jose Pellissery, are part of the line-up. Notable personalities, including Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal, Shekhar Kapur, and Hansal Mehta, will participate in the festival.
In addition to film screenings, CIFF will host workshops, master classes, panel discussions, and an experiential cinema exhibition celebrating the centenary of Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. The festival also includes the CIFF/market to facilitate filmmaking business.
The inaugural edition of CIFF is organized by Cinevesture Pvt Ltd and is supported by the Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh, the Department of Tourism Chandigarh, and the Chandigarh Administration. The festival aims to become a reliable platform for high-quality content for audiences and enhanced business opportunities for the film industry.
VS Kundu, former head of the National Films Division of India, serves as the festival director, and industry veteran Bina Paul is the artistic director. Kundu expressed his vision for CIFF to be a global-scale cinema event in Chandigarh, fostering effective business relationships in the film industry. Bina Paul emphasized the festival’s goal to bring a diverse selection of cinema to Chandigarh, catering to various tastes and audiences.
