Know Your City: How Suchitra Film Society introduced Bengaluru to likes of Godard, Renoir and Rohmer

Suchitra Film Society has been instrumental in organising the first Bengaluru International Film Festival in 2006.

Located near the post office in Banashankari's Stage II, the society operates alongside the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy and continues to screen films, showcasing movies from both local and international filmmakers. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

For the past 50 years, Suchitra Film Society has been an important part of Bengaluru’s film culture. Located near the post office in Banashankari’s Stage II, the society operates alongside the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy and continues to screen films, showcasing movies from both local and international filmmakers.

The society’s story began in 1971 with a group of film enthusiasts from Bengaluru, most of whom were engineers. “The objective was to screen important films which normally do not do well commercially. It was an international phenomenon which started in London and came to India in the 50s. We used to get foreign films to screen from embassies. Not Hollywood films- those were screened regularly in the theatres but those we did not get, like European and Latin American films,” said the founder-secretary and current president, Narahari Rao.

The society’s story began in 1971 with a group of film enthusiasts from Bengaluru, most of whom were engineers. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

Later, plans were made to construct an auditorium for screening films. To inaugurate this construction, Satyajit Ray was invited as a guest to address the society. As per Rao, this event happened when the society shifted from a one-room office in Chamrajpet to its current Banashankari address. In the past 50 years, several icons of the film industry have visited Suchitra at some point or another.

Narahari Rao rattles off a list of names — Devika Rani, Shyam Benegal, V. Shantaram — the list goes on. Photos of these visitors and others during the society’s history line the entrance of the building, along with an old 35 mm photophone projector that has found a place in history.

Over the years, the film society has screened more than 4,500 films and organised numerous film festivals. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

Suchitra Film Society played a key role in organising the first Bengaluru International Film Festival in 2006, which has now become a popular annual event attracting visitors from all over the world. However, after three years, the festival was handed over to the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy. Despite this, the society’s members continue to be involved in the festival through the Cinema and Cultural Academy, which remains one of the three venues for the film screenings.

Over the years, the film society has screened more than 4,500 films and organised numerous film festivals. It has showcased movies by renowned directors such as Jean Renoir, Jean-Luc Godard, Eric Rohmer, Istvan Szabo and many others. Currently, screenings are open to members of the society every Friday. To become a member, you need to pay an annual fee of Rs 2,000.

Apart from showing movies, the academy has expanded its offerings. It now has classes for yoga, dance, and a section for children’s activities.

First uploaded on: 15-04-2024 at 11:10 IST

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