In the winter of 2020, as the world slowly emerged from lockdowns and uncertainty, a group of passionate cinephiles in Kolkata decided to bring the magic of cinema to the streets, under the open sky of Naktala. Since then, the Kolkata Open Air Film Festival by Blue Chalk Studio has been an annual affair at the 2nd Scheme ground, near Gitanjali Metro station.
“There is no open-air film festival in east India,” says Shamik Das, one of the founding members. “So we thought, why not start one right here?”
What began as a dream of three friends soon evolved into a team of six to eight, all united by their love for films and their commitment to making cinema accessible.
“At first, it was just an idea, but we knew we couldn’t pull it off alone. I told my friends, and they came on board. That’s how the team formed,” recalls Shamik, also known as Rudy. The core team includes Ritam, Aritra, Proloy, Abanish, Biswajit, Chirasree, Paromita, Priyanka and Plabon Bhattacharya — all divided by professions, but united by the love for cinema.
Kolkata Open Air Film Festival was founded in 2020 by Blue Chalk Studio
The debut edition was modest but impactful — a three-day event with both indoor and outdoor screens. “We gave people the option to choose. If someone didn’t want to watch a film outdoors, they could go for the indoor screening,” he explains.The organisers believe in maintaining a diverse genre when it comes to the screenings. From commercial and art films to Indian and international filmmakers — there is a movie for everyone. This year, the festival will begin on April 15 and continue till April 20. Some films to be screened include Konkona Sen Sharma’s A Death in the Gunj, Carla Simon’s Alcarras, Mati Diop’s Dahomey, Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall and Alessandra Lacorazza’s In The Summers.
What truly sets the festival apart is its philosophy of inclusivity.
“From day one, we’ve never charged for tickets. No ticket for any festival, no ticket for any film. Everything is open to all,” says Shamik.
The organising committee of the film festival comprises people from different walks of life
Despite a lack of corporate sponsorships, the festival has managed to stay afloat — and grow. “I went to people’s homes and asked them to support the idea. Back then, we had a 100-rupee card for three days. That was all. It wasn’t about money. It was about community,” summed Shamik.
Now in its fifth year, the Kolkata Open Air Film Festival continues to light up evenings in Naktala, proving that with a little passion, a few friends, and a lot of heart, cinema can truly belong to everyone.