An international film festival, ‘10th Festival of 5 continents’ is soon to be held in the city where a specially curated list of cinemas from five continents will be screened at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium at Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) from 12 to 16 January.

The initiative is a joint collaboration between ICCR (ministry of external affairs, Government of India) and the Forum for Film Studies and Allied Arts (FFSAA).

The FFSAA, headed by eminent film director Goutam Ghose, that has organised several film festivals in recent times, such as Greek, German and short fiction film festival, is soon to present to the cinephiles in Kolkata yet another festival that will screen films from five continents.

Some of the participating countries are Vietnam, Iran, Serbia, Spain, Argentina, Denmark, France, Greece, Australia, Canada, Germany and a few more. Commenting on the genesis of this festival, the general secretary of FFSAA, Mr Robin Banerjee told The Statesman, “This festival first began in 2010 when it was hosted as part of the Kolkata film festival but later on, in 2012, it became a separate film festival. For the last six years, it is being organised in collaboration with the ICCR.”

It may be mentioned that FFSAA was formed in 2008 to make a concerted effort to redefine and disseminate and nurture the film society ethos and allied arts. It is further learnt that the inaugural film is The Truck while Mr Bhehrooj Chahel, an Iranian producer, will be present as special guest and introduce the inaugural film.

Some of the other films that are to be screened are Oray, a German film by Mehmet Akif Buyukatalay; Season of Narges Fasl-Narges, an Iranian film by Negar Azar Bayejani; Curiosa, a French film by Lou Jenet; Jackpot TRUNG SO, a Vietnamese film by Dustin Nguyen and several others. The inaugural function of the festival will be held at 4.45pm on 12 January.

It will be inaugurated by film director Sohini Dasgupta whose film Drama Queen will be screened. The regional director, Rabindranath Tagore Centre, ICCR, Mr Goutam De; Dr Mohammed Ali Rabbani, cultural counsellor, Embassy of Iran, New Delhi, are some of the dignitaries who will be present on the inaugural day.