Panchkula, located in the foothills of the Shivalik range, is set to host its inaugural national-level film festival. The fifth edition of the Chitra Bharati Film Festival, spanning three days, will take place from February 23 to February 25 at Red Bishop in Sector-1, under the joint collaboration of Bharatiya Chitra Sadhana and the Haryana Government.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal will grace the inauguration ceremony of the film festival on February 23 at 6 pm at the Convention Center in Red Bishop. The closing ceremony on February 25 at the Indradhanush Auditorium Sector-5 will witness Anurag Thakur, Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, as the chief guest. Esteemed film artists, filmmakers, and producers from across the country are expected to participate in this national film festival.
During a visit to Red Bishop, Deputy Commissioner Sushil Sarwan assessed the preparations for the film festival and provided directions to the officials. He expressed enthusiasm about Haryana hosting this national-level film festival for the first time and highlighted that preparations are in the final stages.
The film festival will showcase 133 short films, children’s films, and documentaries in four balloon theaters set up in Red Bishop. Additionally, films will be screened in Red Bishop Hall, allowing people to enjoy them for free. Screenings will take place on February 23 and 24 from 10:30 am to 12 noon, 2 pm to 3 pm, and 4:30 to 5:30 pm, and on February 25 from 10:30 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 3 pm.
A distinctive feature of this film festival is the inclusion of master classes on acting, direction, and production alongside film screenings. Dr. Chandra Prakash Dwivedi and Sandeep Bhutodia will conduct a master class on Indian Cinema-Entertainment or Agenda on February 23 from 12:15 to 1:15 pm. Similarly, Shri Vivek Agnihotri will shed light on the cinema from the story from 3:15 to 4:15 pm.
On February 24, Dr. Manmohan Vaidya will provide detailed information on Indianness in Indian cinema from 12:15 to 1:15 pm, and Sudipto Sen, director of “The Kerala Story,” will offer insights into the intricacies of acting and direction from 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm.