New logo, new inaugural venue: Stage set for iconic Kolkata International Film Festival
KIFF 32: new logo, new Victoria Memorial venue, Ireland as Focus Country, potential Film Bazar, and star-studded inaugural lineup.
Updated - November 02, 2026 03:00 pm IST - Kolkata
New logo of 32nd Kolkata Internation Film Festival was designed by Satyajit Ray’s son filmmaker Sandip Ray, and was unveiled on November 1, 2026.
Ireland will be the official Focus Country of this year’s KIFF edition; Superstars Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Prabhas may make their maiden appearances at KIFF this year
With a new logo in black and saffron and a new venue at Victoria Memorial for the inaugural ceremony, the 32nd Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is all set to lay the carpet for cine-lovers from across the world from December 16 to December 23 this year.
The new logo, which was unveiled on Sunday (November 1, 2026) at Nandan by the festival authority, was redesigned by the son of Satyajit Ray, filmmaker Sandip Ray. The latest logo replaces the previous blue-and-white artwork, which was launched in 2015.
The first KIFF under the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal is witnessing a complete overhaul, with superstar Tollywood Prosenjit Chatterjee as the KIFF chairperson and veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty as the Chief Advisor. Some other prominent faces of the Bengal film industry, including actor Jeet, Hiran Chatterjee, actor-cum-politician Rudranil Ghosh, and Nandan CEO and KIFF Director Sharmistha Banerjee, were also present at Sunday’s (November 1) event.
Addressing the event, Mr. Chatterjee said that the inaugural ceremony of the festival will also take place at Victoria Memorial for the first time. The venues that have earlier been used by the previous Trinamool Congress government since 2011 include Netaji Indoor Stadium and Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium while the festival was also organised at Nandan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nandan was also the traditional venue for the festival in its initial years.
According to the officials, superstars Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, and Prabhas may make their maiden appearances at KIFF this year, along with a star-studded lineup from the film industries across the country. The guest list for the inaugural ceremony of the festival may also include Sanjay Dutt, Paresh Rawal, Anupam Kher, Johnny Lever, Kangana Ranaut, Anurag Basu, and Madhur Bhandarkar.
“We are also trying to invite an international figure in the 32nd KIFF,” said Mr. Chatterjee.
He also said that the composition of the festival’s theme music is being prepared by Ratul Shankar while Mr. Ray is also making the promotional film. The Royal Bengal Trophy presented to the winners will also have a slightly altered design.
Meanwhile, actor Jeet said that Ireland will be the official Focus Country of this year’s KIFF edition. The organisers are also considering a Film Bazar at a larger scale.
Registration for delegate cards will begin on November 5. The official submission for the films have been closed on September 30. KIFF was first started in 1995 by the West Bengal Film Centre under the Government of West Bengal (and hosted through the Information and Cultural Affairs Department). In 2025, a total of 215 films were shown in the festival- of whom 12 have been officially awarded.
Published - November 02, 2026 01:24 pm IST
arts, culture and entertainment / cinema / film festival / Kolkata
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