Cinephiles and film experts in Bengaluru say the revival of community-based film screenings is being driven by limited access to international cinema and the emergence of intimate screening spaces. “OTT platforms were expected to unlock global cinema, but titles from regions like Japan, Italy, and South America remain largely inaccessible,” explains N Vidyashankar, film critic and director of the Bengaluru International Film Festival. “This is pushing enthusiasts back to film clubs.”
One such group, The Parallel Cinema Club (TPCC), began in 2020 with casual Sunday screenings at National College’s B V Jagadeesh Science Centre. “As more people joined, it organically became a club,” says co-founder Nikhil Waiker. TPCC, now active in Mumbai and Hyderabad too, curates films around specific cinematic movements and themes, encouraging thoughtful engagement.
Similarly, Vinayak Bhat’s Bangalore Film Forum (BFF) evolved from informal rooftop screenings to regular shows at Untitled Arts Foundation in J.P. Nagar. Vikalp, born 20 years ago in response to censorship rules, now screens documentaries monthly in collaboration with Bangalore International Centre (BIC).
Clubs like Sanimawaale even host script readings. Vidyashankar emphasizes, “Cinema is inherently communal. Film clubs are restoring the viewing experience many have lost.”
Recalling the overnight screening of Béla Tarr’s Satantango, Nikhil shares, “People stayed all night with blankets and tiffin boxes—it was magical.” Even films already streaming, like And, Towards Happy Alleys, drew packed audiences at BIC.
Critic M.K. Raghavendra stresses the need for cinephiles to embrace intellectual challenges, not just seek comfort or consensus in film.