Bengaluru to host the 30th European Union Film Festival celebrating hope, courage, and creativity

Bengaluru, October 31, 2025: The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) returns with its milestone 30th edition, celebrating three decades of cinematic, cultural, and artistic exchange between Europe and India. The festival which starts in Delhi (October 31^st) will travel to Bengaluru with its biggest and finest curation yet – 24 contemporary European films in 25 languages to be screened from November 7–15, before moving on to Hyderabad. Through this vibrant showcase of European cinema, the festival continues to foster Indo-European cultural collaboration, offering audiences a window into Europe – its people, its stories, and its spirit.

Bengaluru audiences can enjoy the festival across three iconic venues: Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore, Alliance française de Bangalore and Suchitra Film Society. Organised by the Delegation of the European Union to India, in collaboration with the Embassies of EU Member States and regional partners, EUFF 2025 Bengaluru edition offers Indian audiences a rare opportunity to experience Europe’s most celebrated films on the big screen. The festival’s curated selection highlights stories of resilience, hope, identity, and creativity, reflecting the shared human experiences that unite audiences across cultures.

Talking about bringing the 30th European Union Film Festival to Bengaluru, Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, said, “Bengaluru has this wonderful energy, a city that is curious, creative, and deeply connected to art and culture as I personally experienced it during my past visit. It also has a young crowd that is open to new stories and new ways of seeing the world, which makes it a great place for a festival like this. We are genuinely excited to bring EUFF here because it is more than just films; it is about fostering conversations and cultural exchange between Europe and India. Opening the Bengaluru chapter with Happy by Sandeep Kumar feels especially meaningful, as it is a tender story that explores the immigrant experience, resilience and hope, resonating with audiences everywhere. Through cultural festivals like EUFF, we bridge peoples through personal emotions and exposure to both our differences and our similarities, one story at a time.”

The Bengaluru edition opens with the Austrian film Happy, directed by Sandeep Kumar, an acclaimed filmmaker from the Indian diaspora. Happy tells the moving story of an undocumented Indian father striving to build a better life for his daughter in Vienna. Poignant and deeply human, the film captures EUFF’s spirit of shared stories, cross-cultural journeys, and empathy that transcend borders.

Speaking about Happy opening EUFF 2025 Bengaluru chapter, filmmaker Sandeep Kumar said, “It’s exciting to have HAPPY open the Bengaluru chapter of the 30th European Union Film Festival. As a filmmaker of Indian origin living in Europe, this story is very close to my heart – it reflects the struggles, hopes, and quiet resilience of those who live between worlds, carrying dreams across borders. I’m grateful that EUFF provides a platform for such stories, where cultures meet, and cinema becomes a bridge of empathy and understanding. I am looking forward to the Bengaluru audience’s reaction to our film, which explores themes that are relevant to the modern world.”
Festival curator Artur Zaborski added, “Bengaluru’s audiences have a great appetite for world cinema, and EUFF 2025 is our way of bringing Europe to their doorstep. This year’s curation celebrates courage, tenderness, and discovery, showing that despite different languages or landscapes, our stories often echo the same universal emotions. Happy is the perfect film to open the Bengaluru chapter, as it explores the immigrant experience through the eyes of an Indian protagonist, touching on a theme that resonates globally. EUFF 2025 is a celebration of storytelling in its truest form — we look forward to seeing everyone at the festival.”
Dr. Michael Heinst, Director, Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore: “European Cinema has always received a lot of love from Bengaluru’s discerning audience. Driven by curiosity and experimentation, the city has a great history of welcoming new ideas and perspectives. We are delighted for the European Film Festival to be back at Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore.”

Jean-Marc Dépierre, Director, Alliance française de Bangalore: “Cinema is not only about making people dream. It’s about changing things and making people think” film director Nadine Labaki once said. This is exactly what EUFF is trying to achieve and the Alliance française de Bangalore is thrilled to be part of this endeavour.”

H N Narahari Rao, President, Suchitra Film Society: “Suchitra Film Society has been proud to partner with the European Union Film Festival for over a decade, bringing the finest European cinema to Bangalore’s discerning audiences. The 30th edition holds special significance as we witness three decades of cultural bridge-building through cinema, fostering deeper understanding between European and Indian sensibilities. Our collaboration with EUFF continues to enrich Bangalore’s cultural landscape, offering our members and the public access to award-winning films that might otherwise remain beyond commercial distribution. Apart from screening the films, We look forward to hosting the workshop with filmmaker Sandeep Kumar and celebrating this milestone edition that perfectly embodies cinema’s power to unite diverse cultures and stories.”
Renowned Indian-origin filmmaker Sandeep Kumar will also host a special workshop titled “Shah Rukh Khan to Michael Haneke: My Journey from Indian Theatre to European Cinema” – an engaging conversation tracing his remarkable creative journey. In this interactive session, Sandeep will share insights from his evolution as an artist, from performing alongside Shah Rukh Khan on the Delhi stage to attending workshops with acclaimed filmmaker Michael Haneke in Austria. Drawing from his cross-cultural filmmaking experiences in Europe, he will discuss the nuances of creating cinema that bridges European and South Asian narratives. The event will take place on Sunday, 8 November 2025 at Suchitra Film Society, Bangalore.