Five children bag awards
Jamil Mahmud
The week-long 2nd International Children’s Film Festival ’09 ended on January 30. The closing ceremony was held at the Shawkat Osman Auditorium, Central Public Library, Shahbag. Five among 15 children received awards at the closing ceremony for their films that were screened at the festival.
Children’s Film Society, Bangladesh (CFSB) arranged the festival in association with Unicef.
In his welcome speech, festival director and noted filmmaker Morshedul Islam said that the 3rd International Children’s Film Festival would be held from January 23-29 next year. He went on to add that the next festival would feature more films, venues and foreign delegates. An international competitive segment would also be the high point at next year’s festival, stated Islam.
This year’s festival featured 156 films from 40 countries and were screened at six venues.
Child delegate Purnata read out a seven- point festival declaration, to voice children’s demand for a more conducive environment for children’s films, and more patronage such as government grants, development of infrastructure and tax-free children’s films.
Mustafa Monwar, noted media personality and chairman of the advisory committee of the festival; Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, noted writer and president of CFSB; Farah Kabir, festival adviser and country director, ActionAid Bangladesh; Shaheen Anam, festival adviser and executive director, Manusher Jonno Foundation and Christine Jones, head of Information and Communication, Unicef Bangladesh spoke at the programme.
Along with Unicef and several other organisations, ActionAid and Manusher Jonno Foundation were the sponsors of the festival.
Throughout the festival, 15 films made by Bangladeshi children were screened in a competitive segment. The organisers selected five for the awards. “Ora”, directed by Masud Al Kawsar from Dhaka, received the first prize while Sadia Tabassum Prity from Joypurhat and S. M Sazid Sami from Dhaka received second and third prize for their films “Obochetan” and “Swapno Shiri” respectively.
“The 12th Hour” by Fahim Hasin Sahan from Chittagong and “Bhutmantra”, jointly by Mehedi Hasan and Abu Sayeed Nishan, received special prizes. The rest of the children received complimentary prizes.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
