Kolkata International Film Festival postponed due to Covid-19; now to be held in January 2021

The 26th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival which was scheduled to be held in November this year has been postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday. It will now be held in January 2021.

“After receiving the global film fraternity’s consent, I hereby inform all stakeholders of the Kolkata International Film Festival and cine lovers that our festival has been rescheduled, given the current circumstances. It will now be held from January 8-15, 2021. Let the preparations begin,” Banerjee tweeted.

The KIFF was scheduled to be held between November 5 and 12. Started in 1995, it is one of the oldest film festivals in India and over the years has become a star-studded annual event in Kolkata. Bollywood actors including Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan and other celebrities including former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly have attended the inaugural ceremony in the past. In 2019, more than 200 full-length films and around 150 short films and documentaries from more than 70 countries were offered at the 25th KIFF.