The World Film Festival Kolkata, organised annually by the Eastern Region of the Federation of Film Societies of India (est. 1959; Founder President – Satyajit Ray) in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Section of the International Federation of Film Societies, returns for its fourth edition from August 16 to 21 at Nandan, the Film Centre of West Bengal.
Launched in 2022, the festival has quickly established itself as a vibrant platform for world cinema. The inaugural edition was held from September 20 to 25, 2022, followed by the second edition from September 22 to 27, 2023.
In 2024, the festival became competitive, introducing three major awards: Bimal Roy Award for Best Feature Film (above 60 minutes), Harisadhan Dasgupta Award for Best Documentary (below 120 minutes) and Chidananda Dasgupta Award for Best Short Fiction (below 60 minutes)
The cash prize for the Bimal Roy Award is sponsored by Rinki Bhattacharyya, daughter of the legendary filmmaker.
This year, the festival showcases 37 films from across the globe. Alongside the competitive sections, tributes are being paid to renowned masters David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick and Fatih Akin through special screenings of their works.
The jury for the 2025 edition includes Prof. Dr Reshmi Naskar (Kolkata), Prof. Debasish Chakraborty (Kolkata) and acclaimed Bangladeshi filmmaker Abu Shahed Emon (Dhaka).
The award ceremony will take place on August 21 at Nandan, where winners will be honoured in the presence of distinguished guests and dignitaries.