The 14th edition of the Oscar-accredited Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) is currently in full swing, offering a hybrid experience with both online and in-theatre screenings. Virtual screenings began on August 8, while audiences can enjoy live screenings from August 16-18 at Suchitra Film Society, Indian Institute of World Culture, Prestige Srihari Khoday Centre, and Goethe Institut Max Mueller Bhavan.
As an Oscar-qualifying festival, BISFF’s top films in both international and Indian sections are eligible for Academy Award consideration. Festival director Anand Varadaraj explained that the Academy relies on accredited festivals to recommend entries rather than selecting short films directly. Being India’s only Oscar-qualifying fiction film festival, BISFF winners join a global pool of recommended films, enhancing their chances for an Academy Award nomination.
The festival’s focus on short films has grown, especially in Karnataka, following the success of Chidananda S Naik’s Kannada short, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, which won at Cannes. Naik, an alumnus of BISFF, had his previous short featured at the festival, adding personal significance to the achievement.
This year’s festival will showcase over 280 films across eight sections, including the International Competition, Women’s Cinema Collective, Indian Competition, Let’s Include, Karnataka Competition, Queer Qorner, Animation (International & Indian), and a non-competitive category. Anand Varadaraj noted that the animation category has seen a rise in both quality and quantity of Indian submissions, making film selection from over 3,000 entries a challenging task.
The theme of this year’s festival, Inclusion and Exclusion, highlights BISFF’s dedication to diversity and inclusivity. The festival will feature filmmakers with disabilities, a new Queer Qorner for better representation, and the Women’s Cinema Collective to promote gender equality.
In addition to screenings, the festival will include workshops and panel discussions. Topics will cover editing short films, new cinema products, casting, promotion, and the impact of AI on the film industry. A workshop on editing will be led by Kannada writer Sri Crazymindz, while panels will feature filmmakers who have transitioned from shorts to features, sharing their experiences.
