Kannada films bag 5 awards at Biffes

Mysore, Feb 6: Kannada films achieved a feat equal to other languages and international films, bagging five awards in the eighth edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (Biffes) that concluded here, on Friday.

‘Thithi’, a Kannada film, directed by Ram Reddy, shared best film prize with ‘Under Heaven’, a film from Kyrgyzstan in the Asian film category. A total of 12 films were in the race, according to jury and filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli. Film critic Antony and curator Barbara Lorey were the other juries.

Marathi film ‘The Silence’, directed by Gajendra Hadare was named the best in the Indian films category. The special jury awards were conferred on ‘The Eye’ in Malayalam, directed by Siddhartha Shiva and ‘Island City’ in Hindi, directed by Ruchika Oberoi.

A total of 14 films were vying for the honour in the category, according to the jury N S Nanjunde Gowda.

In Kannada films category ‘Vidaya’, directed by P Sheshadri, and produced by Basanth Kumar Patil was adjudged the first best film, followed by ‘Naanu Avanalla Avalu’, directed by B S Lingadevaru, produced by Ravi Garani, as second best film. ‘Puta Thirugisi Nodu’, directed by Sunil Raghavendra, was the third best film, according to jury head Shaji N Karun, who had to watch 15 films to decide the best of the three. The net pack award for Kannada went to ‘Saalada Magu’, directed by Umashankar Swamy, said jury head K Y Narayan Swamy.

Directorate of films suggested

Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy Chairman S V Rajendra Singh Babu, on Friday, suggested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to consider a proposal to set up the office of directorate of films to boost up the activities of Biffes 2016.

In his address, at the valedictory of Biffes 2016, Babu said, the directorate under the academy was imperative to market Kannada films at other international film festivals and bring the best of movies from other countries to be screened here.

He reminded the chief minister of 300 janatha theatres announced in the previous budget, were yet to be a reality.