BANGALORE: The Karnataka Government is to set up a Chalchitra Academy shortly to help the Kannada film industry, said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa while inaugurating the Third Bengalooru International Film Festival.

The goverment will also seek to increase the budgetary grant for promotion of good cinema in the next financial year, Yeddyurappa added.

The Karnataka government will also considering doubling the number of children's films to which it gives a grant every year. At present, only two children's films are given a grant of Rs 2.5 million each every year.

Meanwhile, atotal of more than 150 films from over thirty countries are being screened in various sections of theBengalooru International Film Festival.

The Festival has been organised by the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy in collaboration with the Karnataka government.

The Kannada section of the Festival, a highlight of which is a two-hour long DVD film on the evolution of Kannada film music over the year, was inaugurated by the noted singer and music director, C Aswath.

The Indian Panorama Section was inaugurated by Prakash Rai while KVR Tagore, Additional Director General of Police, inaugurated the Documentary and Short Films section.

The four-day animation workshop, organised by ABAI and ANTS, was inaugurated by actor-director Ramesh Arvind.

As part of the Festival, six children's films are being screened. The screenings have been organised for school children from designated schools.

A Photo Exhibition on 75 years of Kannada Cinema compiled by the Department of Information of the state Government was inaugurated by the celebrated VK Murthy.

To mark the platinum jubilee of Kannada cinema, around 40 landmark films, both in 35mm and digital format, are being screened at the festival.