The 17th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) is scheduled to take place from January 29 to February 6, 2026. Over 200 films will be screened across three venues — Lulu Mall in Rajajinagar, Dr Rajkumar Bhavana, Kalavidara Sangha in Chamarajapet and the Suchitra Film Society in Banashankari.
Murali PB, artistic director for the 17th edition of BIFFes, has been involved with this platform for the last 10 years. His engagement with BIFFes began as a film enthusiast and filmmaker, before he donned the hats of chief programmer and curator along the way.
In an exclusive conversation with The Hindu, Murali discussed issues such as supporting new talent, showcasing global cinema and navigating industry changes, as well as the festival’s emphasis on connection and bold storytelling. Murali who was deputy director of the 15th edition of BIFFes, succeeds N Vidyashankar as artistic director.
“This edition of BIFFes will be the lengthiest one till date, running for nine days and includes an inaugural day screening. Over 200 films from more than 60 countries will be shown,“ says Murali, adding, “While 10-day film festivals are commonplace at Cannes, Toronto and Berlin, this is the first time BIFFes is hosting a nine-day cinema habba.”
According to Murali, this edition advocates a blend of traditional and modern cinema. “I believe it will meet the expectations of all categories of movie lovers, courtesy the efforts of our festival curation team.”
Artistic director of BIFFes Murali PB and his team
| Photo Credit:
Bhagya Prakash
Talking about his vision as artistic director, Murali says, “My intention is to add value to the institution and BIFFes which opened new horizons for me. All my efforts have gone into celebrating global and local cinema holistically.”
He adds, “We have focused on issues of social relevance, highlighted region-specific cinema and balanced art with commercial appeal.”
This year’s theme Stree Yendare Ashte Sake (Is it enough to be a woman?) revolves around women’s empowerment and sensibilities, as well as gender equality. Apart from films, other events at the festival include academic interactions, discourses, seminars, workshops and master classes. Veteran actor, filmmaker and producer Prakash Raj is the brand ambassador of this edition.
“In keeping with our theme, there will be a retrospective on Smita Patil, considered one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. We had also planned a retrospective on Sai Paranjpye, the renowned filmmaker and screenwriter, but were unable to get prints of her films.”
“We will be screening Kalpana Lajmi’s Rudaali, Bhavni Bhavai, a Gujarati film by Ketan Mehta, Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Jameen and Gehnu Lamai, a Sri Lankan film by Sumitra Peries, restored by the Film Heritage Foundation.”
One of the highlights of this festival will be the screening of 35mm celluloid films, including Rajkumar classics such as Uyyale and Sandhyaraga.
Murali is an independent filmmaker who studied filmmaking at the Centre for Film and Drama at Goethe Institut-Max Mueller Bhavan, and honed his screenwriting and directorial skills working with the likes of director Pawan Kumar and on films such as Harikatha Prasanga, Jeerjimbe and Arishadvarga.
“Bengaluru is a fast-growing cosmopolitan city with film culture in its genes. Reflecting this spirit, the edition spotlights debut filmmakers and offers opportunities to learn new techniques through full‑fledged master classes and workshops.”
The 17th edition of BIFFes will be held from January 29 to February 6. Schedule of events and registration link available on biffes.org
What to look out for at BIFFes 2026
– A retrospective of Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda known for The Promised Land, The Maids of Wilko, Man of Iron, and Katyu
– Films of Apichatpong Weerasethkul, acclaimed Thai filmmaker, will be screened under the filmmaker focus section.
–. This edition will also celebrate film auteur Girish Kasaravalli, film veterans S V Rajendra Singh Babu, and Jayamala.
– The restored classics section will showcase iconic films from Vajreshwari Combines and recently restored films, including Hemavathi by Siddalingaiah.
– Homage will be paid to veterans who passed away last year, including B Saroja Devi, Dharmendra and cinematographer Shaji Neelakanta Karun
