The 20th Siliguri International Film Festival (SIFF)-2019 is all set to kick off on 19 November, where a total of 17 films from 11 countries will be screened. According to Pradeep Nag, the secretary of the Siliguri Cine Society, the festival is being organised by the Society in association with the Dinabandhu Mancha Advisory Committee and the Federation of Film Societies of India (ER).

“We have received permission for all the films with the exception of one Hindi and one Bengali movie. A Bengali movie named ‘Rajlokhyo Srikanto’, directed by Pradipto Bhattacharjee, will be the inaugural film for the festival. We have one Iranian movie- ‘The Silence’, a German film named ‘House Without Roof’, then we have ‘Dunkirk’ from the United Kingdom, we have one Italian movie and such others from Lebanon, Peru, Tunisia, France and Bangladesh.

This year, we will also be paying tribute to legends associated with Bengali cinema, such as Hemanta Mukherjee, Manna Dey, Aurobindo Mukhopadhyay and others,” Mr Nag said.

According to him, two films will be screened every day, except for Saturday and Sunday when three movies will be shown in a day.

“We have three Hindi movies and five Bengali movies this year, out of which, three are Indian and two are Bangladeshi. Out of the nine foreign movies, Lebanon and Peru have been added to the list this year,” he added.

Minister Deb said the festival will start in the evening of 19 November and will continue till 26 November at the Dinabandhu Mancha.

“We have been working on the renovation of the place and making proper arrangements for all kinds of amenities, such as food and pure water there, which will all be done soon,” Mr Deb said.

Mr Deb will inaugurate the ceremony in the presence of Dr Subires Bhattacharya, the vice-chancellor of the North Bengal University as the chief guest. Superintendent of Police of South Dinajpur, Prasun Banerjee, who is associated with the film industry in several ways, director of the inaugural film Pradipto Bhatacharjee, actors- Jyotika Paul Jyoti, Arunoday Banerjee (Rahul) and Sayan Ghosh— will be present at the event as guests of honour. The president of the Siliguri Cine Society Dr Sanjiban Dutta Roy will be attending the function as the president of the ceremony.