DK administration plans to expand Karavali Utsava Film Festival into International Film Festival from next year

Dakshina Kannada DC plans to expand Karavali Utsava Film Festival into an International Film Festival, showcasing regional cinema.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner (DC) M.P. Mullai Muhilan on Thursday, January 2, said the district administration was contemplating expanding the Karavali Utsava Film Festival into an International Film Festival from next year.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Karavali Utsava Film Festival at Bharat Cinemas here, Mr. Muhilan said the Utsava had seen the film festival for the first time. There was a thinking to expand the festival to facilitate watching of more number of movies by the people of the region as well as tourists, he said.

The DC said many prominent personalities from coastal Karnataka have contributed to the growth of the Indian Cinema. The rich culture of the region was demonstrated through movies in Hindi, Kannada, Tulu, Beary, and Konkani languages, he noted.

Inaugurating the film festival, music director Gurukiran said cinema has been the culture of coastal region. Wherever art and culture thrives, development too follows. He said art should be viewed as art only. Mangaluru Mayor Manoj Kumar said quality cinemas always got support in the coastal region.

Bharat Cinemas head Balakrishna Shetty, Additional Deputy Commissioner G. Santhosh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner S.J. Harshaverdhan and others were present.

On the second day of the festival, Friday, Kannada movie Saramsha will be screened at 10.15 a.m, followed by Konkani film Tarpana at 12.45 p.m, Kannada crime thriller Shuddhi at 3.15 p.m, Kannada movie Kubi Matthu Iyala at 5.45 p.m and Kannada movie Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, which was shot in Mangaluru, at 8 p.m. Entry to the festival is free on first come first served basis at the Bharat Cinemas.