Founded in 1982, Ajanta Film Society celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 2006. Many eminent personalities including present Chief Minister Sri. B.S. Yedyurappa and Former Chief Minister Sri. H. D. Kumaraswamy were present on the occasion.
History:
Ajanta Film Society was inaugurated on 2nd October 1982 at the hands of Prin. V. B. Gaonkar (Govt. College of Education, Belgaum). The founders were Sri. C.V. Billur,Sri. S. B. Chougule, Sri. S. K.Pawar, and Sri. S. S.Badiger. National Award winning Kannada movie "Bara" was screened at the inaugural function.
In collaboration with the National Film Archives of India, a Film festival of classics: Rashomon (Akiro Kurasawa), Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray), Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin), and Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica) was held in 1982.
In early January 1983, a Marathi Film Festival and Symposium was held. Mai Mauli and Shejari were screened. Prin. B. Rudrappa (English), Prof. Aravindrao Yalgi (Marathi), and Prof. A.R. Mattikalli (Kannada) participated in the symposium.
Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy featured in the next Film Festival held on 15th August 1984 at St. Mary's High School Belgaum.Sri. Ashok Yalgi (Chief Reporter, Tarun Bharat) and Sri. Saraju Katkar (Reporter, Indian Express and Kannada Prabha) spoke on the occasion.
Under the auspices of National Film Archives of India, the Society organised a "Film Appreciation Course" at St. Paul's High School, Belgaum on the 29th and 30th June 1984.
An Indian Panorama Film Festival was held at Roopali Cinema, Belgaum on 19th April 1987. Governor of Karnataka, Sri. Ashoknath Banerjee, Sri. Rambhau Potdar (Chairman, Legislative Council, Karnataka) and Padmashri Ranjit Desai addressed the gathering. Film stars Shabana Azmi, Vikram, Vijay Arora, Madhu Kambikar, Producer Vinay Nevalkar and Director Rajdutt were present on the occasion.
From 12th to 16th June 1987, a festival of Chinese Films was held and several award-winning Chinese films were screened during the festival.
A Gadinadu Kannada Film Festival was organised from 2nd to 8th January 2009 in collobaration with the Kannada and Culture Department of the Government of Karnataka. Several award winning and classic Kannada films were screened on the occasion.
In collaboration with the Belgaum Cultural Research Society, a Marathi Film Festival was held at Lokmanya Hall, Bhagyanagar, Belgaum from 22nd to 24th January 2010.
