The 28th Kolkata International Film Festival was held from 15 to 22 December 2022 at Netaji Indoor Stadium, in Kolkata, India. The festival opened with 1973 film Abhimaan, by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. 183 films including 130 feature films and 52 short and documentary films from 42 countries were screened during 7 days of the festival. The opening ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Mahesh Bhatt and cricketer Sourav Ganguly.
The festival closed on 22 December at Rabindra Sadan hosted by Saheb Chatterjee. Spanish film Upon Entry by Alejandro Rojas, and Juan Sebastian Vasquez and Bangladeshi film The Golden Wings of Watercocks by Muhammad Quayum, jointly won the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for best film, whereas Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for best director was won by Ernesto Ardito and Virna Molina for their film Hitler's Witch.
Highlights of the year Retrospective on Amitabh Bachchan
A retrospective on Amitabh Bachchan, celebrating his life and works, was presented by screening his films.
Paying homage through special tribute
Filmmaker Tarun Majumdar, veteran actor Pradip Mukherjee, classical musician Shivkumar Sharma and American actor Angela Lansbury, who all died in 2022, were given special tribute in the festival.
Centenary celebration
Centenary tribute was given to the French film director and screenwriter Alain Resnais, Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, Greek film actor and director Michael Cacoyannis, alongside Indian cinema's legendary figures Dilip Kumar, Asit Sen, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Bharati Devi, K. Asif and Hindustani classical musician Ali Akbar Khan.
Game On, A new category
From this year a new category 'Game On' was introduced. Seven sports related films including Soumitra Chatterjee's 1984 film Kony, 2016 film M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, 2021 film 83 were screened to promote sports among young generation.
Jury International jury International Competition: Innovation in Moving Images Iliana Zakopoulou, (Chairperson), Head of the Department of Sales and Promotion (Hellas Film) of the Greek Film Centre. Mano Khalil, a Kurdish-Swiss film director and producer Shalini Dore, an editor with Variety Tanvir Mokammel, current director of Bangladesh Film Institute (BFI) Tannishtha Chatterjee, an Indian actress and director
Competition on Indian Language's Films Siddiq Barmak, (Chairperson), an Afghan film director and producer Gulnara Abikeyeva, a Kazakh film critic and film researcher Viera Langerová, Slovak film critic, lecturer and scriptwriter Asian Select (NETPAC Award) Latika Padgaonkar (Chairperson), a columnist, translator and editor of several books, also member of the NETPAC (India), and the FIPRESCI. Italo Spinelli, a director and author, the founder and artistic director of Asiatica International Film Festival, Rome Supriya Suri, the founding member of Cinedarbaar in India and a film curator, and runs her production company Maison Su. Competition on Indian Short Films Jaya Seal Ghosh, an Indian actress, dancer and producer Prasun Chatterjee, an Indian filmmaker, also the founder of Kathak Talkies, a Kolkata-based film production company Raajhorshee De, a writer and creative director, also project head for two channels in Bengal— Colors Bangla and Zee Bangla. Competition on Indian Documentary Films Anindita Choudhury, the current Vice President of Original Content for Zee5 Kolkata and Bangladesh Manas Mukul Pal, an Indian film director and writer Sani Ghose Ray, a creative entrepreneur. Currently heading Acropoliis Entertainment
Official selection
Inaugural Film Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Inaugural Film 1973Abhimaan Hrishikesh Mukherjee India
Competition categories International Competition: Innovation in Moving Images Source:
Highlighted title indicates award winner
Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 2021 The Golden Wings of Watercocks Kura Pokhhir Shunye Ura Muhammad Quayum Bangladesh 2022 Silent Glory Shokouhe Khamoush Nahid Hassanzadeh Iran 2022 The Lord of Creations Samaresh Basur Projapoti Subrata Sen India 2022 The Warm Blues Rishabh Kumar India 2022 The Deadman's Bride Mireasa Mortului Cornel Gheorghita Romania 2022 First snow ПЕРВЫЙ СНЕГ Nathalia Konchalovsky Russia 2022 In Limbo Mezhsezone Alexander Hant Russia 2022 The Wedding Parade Berbu Sevinaz Evdike Syria 2022 The village AUL Serik Aprymov Kazakh 2022 Hitler's Witch La Bruja De Hitler Ernesto Ardito, Virna Molina Argentina 2022Europe Philip Scheffner Germany, France 2022Upon Entry Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastian Vasquez Spain 2022Travels inside foreign heads Antonio Amaral France 2022Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous Wissam Charaf France, Italy
Competition on Indian Language's Films Source: Highlighted title indicates award winner
Year English title Original title Director(s) 2022 The Faded Footprints Lokkhir Paa Abhik Das 2022 Salt Of The Earth Bhoomiyude Uppu Sunny Joseph 2022 Colours of a Rebel Sprout Akoman Pranjal Saikia 2022 Sattha Soothakada Suttha Sattha Soothakada Suttha Therunalli D 2022Beginning Jagan Vijaya 2022Tora's Husband Rima Das 2022The Fallen are Connected B.S. Pradeep Varma 2022Muthayya Bhaskar Maurya 2022Global Aadgaon Anilkumar Salve 2022Naanera Deepankar Prakash 2022OCD Soukarya Ghosal 2022 If Only Trees Could Talk Sikaisal Bobby Sarma Baruah 2022Sthalam Bijukumar Damodaran 2022 The Terrace Chhaad Indrani Chakraborty
Asian Select (NETPAC Award)
Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 2022 Home for Sale Продаётся дом Taalaibek Kulmendeev Kyrgyzstan 2022 The River Breathes Ano ko no Yume wo Mizuninagashite Shoji Toyama Japan 2022 The Keysmith Chabiwala Raja Ghosh India 2022 Fortune DOV Muhiddin Muzaffar Tajikistan 2022 Incredible Coorg Pommale Kodag Kottukattira Prakash Kariyappa India 2022 Doosra Doosra Channa Deshapriya Sri Lanka 2022 Hijab Munni Ismail Moodushedde India
Competition on Indian Short Films Source:
English title Original title Director(s) Outlaw's Gun Bandit'S Bazooka Divyesh Gandhi The Cremation Daah Sanskaar Falguni Bhakta The Arrival of Shurponakha Shuruponakhar Agomon Suchandra Vaaniya I am, Mehmood Mein, Mehmood Prataya Saha Void Xunyota Nabapan Deka The Divine Touch Haater Sporsho Dr. Prosenjit Choudhury
Competition on Indian Documentary Films English title Original title Director(s) In Search Of Neelpawan Baruah Neelpawan Baruak Bichari Keshar Jyoti Das My Country Amar Desh Suman Sen Gupta, Subhra Mukhopadhyay, Saswata SarkarImroz - A Walkdown Memory Lane Harjit SinghNybreum - The Unsettled Shade Neha Sharma Dream For Livelihood Bhat Kaporer Swapno Raktim MondalMizo Soundscapes Joshy Joseph The Edge Of The Sunshine Dhoop Kinaara Shadab Farooq
Non-Competition Categories Amitabh Bachchan: A Living Legend Source:| Year English title Original title Director(s) 1975Deewaar Yash Chopra 2005Black Sanjay Leela Bhansali 1979Kaala Patthar Yash Chopra 1973Abhimaan Hrishikesh Mukherjee 1982Shakti Ramesh Sippy 1981Silsila Yash Chopra 1971Anand Hrishikesh Mukherjee 1982Bemisal
Bengali Panorama Year English title Original title Director(s) 2022 Grassland Ghasjomi Sumantra Roy 2022 NeetiShastra নীতিশাস্ত্র Arunava Khasnobis 2022 Taranga - The Wave of Life তারাঙ্গা Palash Dey
Centenary tribute International Year English title Original title Production countrie(s)Alain Resnais 2006 Private Fears in Public Places Cœurs France 1959 Hiroshima, My Love Hiroshima mon amour FrancePier Paolo Pasolini 1964 The Gospel According to St. Matthew Il vangelo secondo Matteo Italy 1976 Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma Italy, France 1967 Oedipus Rex Edipo re Italy, MoroccoMichael Cacoyannis 1971The Trojan Women United States, United Kingdom, Greece 1977Iphigenia Greece 1962Electra Greece 1964 Zorba the Greek Alexis Zorbas Greece, United States Indian Year English title Original title Director(s)Dilip Kumar 1960The Great Mughal Mughal-e-Azam K. Asif 1961Ganga Jamuna Gunga Jumna Nitin Bose 1982Power Shakti Ramesh SippyBharati Devi 1959 The Holy Island Sagar Sangamey Debaki BoseAli Akbar Khan 1960 Hungry Stones Khudhito Pashan Tapan Sinha Year English title Original titleHrishikesh Mukherjee 1975Mili 1973Anuradha 1971Anand 1966Anupama 1973Anari 1982Bemisal 1969Satyakam 1973Abhimaan Asit Sen 1956Chalachal 1963Uttar Falguni 1959Deep Jwele Jaai K. Asif 1960Mughal-e-Azam
Cinema International Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 2022 Decision to Leave 헤어질 결심 Park Chan-wook South Korea 2022 Alcarràs Alcarràs - L'ultimo raccolto Carla Simón Spain, Italy 2022 The Five Devils Les cinq diables Léa Mysius France 2022 One Fine Morning Un beau matin Mia Hansen-Løve France, Germany 2022 Close Lukas Dhont Belgium, Netherlands, France 2022 Rule 34 Regra 34 Julia Murat Brazil, France 2022 Prison 77 Modelo 77 Alberto Rodríguez Spain 2022 When the Waves Are Gone Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon Lav Diaz Philippines, France, Portugal, Denmark 2022 The Blue Caftan Le Bleu du caftan Maryam Touzani France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark 2022 How Is Katia? Yak Tam Katia? Christina Tynkevych Ukraine 2019 Victim Obet Michal Blasko Slovakia 2022 Nightsiren Svetlonoc Tereza Nvotová Czech Republic, Slovakia, France 2022 Queens Malikates Yasmine Benkiran France, Morocco 2022Heartbeast Anio Suni Norway 2022Alma Viva Cristèle Alves Meira Portugal, France, Belgium 2022Joyland Saim Sadiq Pakistan 2022Blanquita Fernando Guzzoni Chile 2022Boy from Heaven Tarik Saleh Sweden, France, Finland 2022 I Have Electric Dreams Tengo sueños eléctricos Valentina Maurel Belgium, France, Costa Rica 2022 Call Of God Kõne taevast Kim Ki-duk South Korea 2022The Whale Darren Aronofsky United States 2022 No Bears خرس نیست (Khers Nist) Jafar Panahi Iran 2022Triangle of Sadness Ruben Östlund Sweden, France, United Kingdom, Germany 2022 Broker 브로커 Hirokazu Kore-eda South Korea 2022 The Ocean Angel Maariya Aruna Jayawardana Sri Lanka 2022Crimes of the Future David Cronenberg Canada, Greece 2022 My Sailor, My Love Rakkaani Merikapteeni Klaus Härö Finland 2022Rhinegold Fatih Akin German
Game On Year English title Original title Director(s) 2021 83 Kabir Khan 2016 M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story Neeraj Pandey 2007 Chak De! India Shimit Amin 2016 Dangal Nitesh Tiwari 2013 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra 2014 Mary Kom Omung Kumar 1984 Kony Saroj Dey
Homage Four films will be showcased to pay homage to Jean-Luc Godard, the French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. Year English title Original title Production countrie(s) 1965 Alphaville Alphaville: une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution France 1961 A Woman Is a Woman Une femme est une femme France 1961 Contempt Le Mépris France, Italy 1960 Breathless À bout de souffle France
Short and Documentary Panorama English title Original title Director(s)Ripples Under the Skin Farha Khatun How do I Show the Ocean Space You Carried Inside You Abeer Khan The Ripple Eewai Khwairakpam Bishwamittra
Special Screening Source:
Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 2022 Wind Hawa Mejbaur Rahman Sumon Bangladesh 2020 Captive Nazarband Suman Mukhopadhyay India 2022 Lakadbaggha Lakadbaggha Victor Mukherjee India 2021Neighbours Mano Khalil Syria
Special tribute Year English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Pradip Mukherjee 1976 The Middleman Jana Aranya Satyajit Ray India Shiv Kumar Sharma 1981 Continuation Silsila Yash Chopra IndiaAngela Lansbury 1945The Picture of Dorian Gray Albert Lewin United States Tarun Majumdar 1971 The invitation NimantranTarun MajumdarIndia 1978 The People Ganadevata 1976 Child Bride Balika Badhu
Unheard India: Rare Language Films Source: