Seventh edition of Bengaluru GAFX to be held on Feb 27

The theme for this year, Evolution Reloaded, reflects the next phase of growth in AVGC and immersive media sectors, where human creativity integrates with advanced technologies to redefine storytelling, gaming, animation, and immersive experiences. With the rollout of AVGC CoE 2.0, the government aims to expand access beyond Bengaluru into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, creating a distributed creative technology network across the state, he said.

The Karnataka government on Monday announced the seventh edition of Bengaluru GAFX, one of the country's largest AVGC-XR conferences and exhibitions. Supported by the state government in collaboration with the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry and Startup Karnataka, the event will be held from February 27 to March 1 here. It is expected to bring together creators, studios, technologists, investors, and industry leaders from across the global media and entertainment ecosystem. According to a press release, Karnataka remains at the forefront of India's 'orange economy', where creativity, culture, and technology converge. The state contributes nearly 20 per cent to the country's media and entertainment industry and is home to over 300 Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality studios, employing around 15,000 professionals, supported by a strong freelance and gig ecosystem. The theme for this year, 'Evolution Reloaded', reflects the next phase of growth in AVGC and immersive media sectors, where human creativity integrates with advanced technologies to redefine storytelling, gaming, animation, and immersive experiences. Addressing a press conference, IT Minister Priyank Kharge highlighted the AVGC Centre of Excellence as a key pillar of the state's strategy. The CoE has executed over 200 projects across domestic and international markets, spanning animation, VFX, gaming, and XR. With the rollout of AVGC CoE 2.0, the government aims to expand access beyond Bengaluru into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, creating a distributed creative technology network across the state, he said. ''In 2024, India saw a 20 per cent growth in the sector, and nearly 50 per cent of the revenue came from Karnataka. We have the required human resources and skills for AVGC here. We have implemented the AVGC-XR policy and aim to create more than 50,000 jobs by 2028,'' Priyank said. He noted that several high-budget Indian films, including 'KGF', completed significant creative and technical work at Karnataka's Centres of Excellence. The minister stressed that Karnataka has been consistently investing in digital art platforms across districts, not limited to Bengaluru. The CoE in AVGC has been functional for over six years, he added. Emphasising regional expansion, Priyank said strong creative ideas are emerging from Tier-II cities, and the government is prioritising balanced development while strengthening Bengaluru's position as a global creative hub. The summit will feature sessions on major productions, including 'Kantara Chapter 1', Netflix's 'Kurukshetra', 'Mahavatar Narasimha', 'Dhurandhar', and 'Lokah'. Highlights include a book-to-screen session on Indian mythology with author Anand Neelakanthan, cinematography and virtual production sessions with directors of photography from 'Kantara', 'Baahubali', and 'OG', as well as making-of sessions from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated projects. The event will also host a dedicated AI-for-VFX track, gaming sessions, VFX masterclasses, comics street, board game launches, GAFX art challenges, and a B2B investor connect, positioning the conference as a key convergence point for the future of visual storytelling, the release added.

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