7th International Film Festival
Five child directors awarded
The 7th International Child Film Festival concluded on Friday through a discussion, award giving ceremony and film screening at the Shawkat Osman Auditorium of Central Public Library.
Organsied by Children Film Society, the seven-day festival features films from 35 countries across the world. With the theme ‘dreams of tomorrow in frames’, the festival screened over 150 children’s films in 12 venues in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal and Rangpur. The films were screened under five different categories—Contemporary World Cinema, World Classics Suitable for Children, Competitive Section, Flash Back: Selected Films from Previous Festivals and Bangladesh Panorama.
Minister of Information Hasanul Haque Inu attended the closing programme as chief guest. The festival advisory council and noted cultural personality Mustafa Monwar, president of the society Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, festival director Morshedul Islam and coordinator of the festival Munira Morshed Chowdhury were also present as guests at the closing ceremony.
Five young filmmakers were conferred with awards for their submitted films that were screened at the the festival’s contest. Ashfaqur Rahman’s Jadur Kanthi, Taha Ismail’s Lost in the Past and Ananya Jaman’s The Chair received the first, second and third prize respectively. The winner, runner-up and second runner-up were handed over crests and prize money of Taka 25000, Taka 15000 and Taka 10000 respectively by the chief guest. Besides, two other films—Tushar Kundu Roy’s Sokher Ghuri and Samia Rahman’s Intimate World received honourable mention award.
The films have been judged by a jury panel of child filmmakers who had won prizes in past festivals.
Following the prize giving ceremony, the award winning films were screened.
The concluding day programme also included a seminar held at the conference room of the library in the morning. Filmmaker Syeda Tasnim Rahman presented her paper titled Shishuder Jonno Chalachitra: Amader Swapna Amader Asha (Films for Children: Our Dreams Our Hopes) at the seminar. Film researcher Mohitul Islam also presented his paper titled Shishuder Upor Drissho Maddhomer Probhab (Influence of Visual Media on Children).
Festival director Morshedul Islam informed New Age that although there was a shortage in funds, they have managed to complete the festival successfully. ‘We have organised the festival, braving several obstacles and limitations but at last we have succeeded,’ said Islam.
‘It is a great experience to work with children. They are really talented and I believe they will be able to make really good films in future,’ added Islam.
-With New Age input
