The eighth edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) concluded at a glittering event held in the backdrop of the illuminated Mysuru Palace on Friday.
The festival, which was extended to Mysuru for the first time, was attended by many artistes and filmmakers from Sandalwood.
Film enthusiasts also watched the valedictory function which also had the participation of some foreign filmmakers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the awards to the best films listed under various competitions as part of the festival.
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The films had been judged by panels of jury comprising eminent filmmakers from India and abroad. The heads of the panels announced the best films.
Kannada film, Thithi , directed by Ram Reddy, which had won awards in many international film festivals, including Locarno, and Under Heaven , a film from Kyrgyzstan directed by Dalmira Tilepbergen, shared the first prize in the Asian Cinema competition.
The films received cash prize of Rs 2 lakh each besides citations.
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Salada Magu , a Kannada film by Umashankar Swamy, won the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPACK) award and received a cash prize of Rs one lakh.
In the Indian cinema competition, The Silence , a Marathi film by Gajendra Ahire, bagged the best film award and received a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh.
Island City , a Hindi film by Ruchika Oberoi, and The Eye , a Malayalam film by Siddhartha Shiva, shared the special jury award and received cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh each.
P. Sheshadri-directed Vidaaya bagged the first best film award in the Kannada cinema competition with a cash prize of Rs. 3 lakh.
Naanu Avanalla…Avalu , a film by B.S. Lingadevaru, bagged the second best film with a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh. The third best film went to Puta Tirugisi Nodu of Suneel Raghavendra with a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh.
Speaking after presenting the awards, the Chief Minister said the film festival turned out to be a big success.
Prominent film actors, who attended the event, included Minister for Housing M.H. Ambareesh, B. Saroja Devi, Bharati Vishnuvardhan, Ramesh, Ganesh, Doddanna, producer Rockline Venkatesh. But, the big stars gave a miss to the event.
Minister for Information, Public Relations and Infrastructure R. Roshan Baig, Minister for Cooperation H.S. Mahadeva Prasad, MLC and actress Jayamala, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy Chairman S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu, MLA M.K. Somashekar, Information Department secretary Channappa Gowda, Director Vishukumar and others were present.