Main Page «
Front Page «
Metro «
Business «
International «
Sports «
National «
Editorial «
Op-Ed «
Home «
Letters «

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

Third International Inter-university Short Film Festival 2009 organised by Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) ended on Tuesday at the Goethe Institut auditorium. The programme titled ‘Take your camera frame your dream’ was held in collaboration with Goethe Institute.
   The screenings of the short films were held at the auditoriums of Goethe Institut in Dhanmondi and Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University.
   The festival showcased short films made by students of 14 local and 6 international universities and colleges from various countries.
   Around 44 short films made by students of Mexico, Germany, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Bangladesh were screened at the festival.
   The festival was divided into three segments as Competition, Panorama and Surprise. Competition and panorama segments contained 20 and 10 short films respectively made by Bangladeshi students, while Surprise segment contained 12 short films of the international students. Moreover, another two short films of Yasmin Kabir were also shown in the festival.
   A two member jury board selected ‘Snore’, directed by Mohammad Foysal of Dhaka University, as the best film of the festival while ‘Shanibar’ directed by Mushfeq Manzoor of Habibullah Bahar College and ‘Peace’ directed by Fahin Arefin and Rabbee Fazle was selected second and third respectively.
   Along with the prize winning films, ‘Shin and Tere’ by Santiago Divarent from Mexico, ‘Innocent Face’ by Khandaker Jakir of Dhaka University, ‘Ditiya Prajanma’ by Aftab Hossain of Daffodil University, and ‘The Conscience’ by Rakib Hasan of BUET, ‘Ishwrer Kache Khola Chithi’ by Mahmud Didar of Dhaka University , ‘Fad’ by Shaleh Ahmed of Tejgaon College, ‘Eliaser Khoanri’ by Shibu Kumer Shill of Dhaka University and ‘Shapnabandhi’ by Monowar Mithu of Khulna University and all the 12 films under the Surprise segment, fascinated the crowds.
   Organisers also arranged an exclusive segment for the participants, to enrich their experience through discussion with the country’s leading filmmakers where they discussed about filmmaking. Technical and aesthetical issues were also focused in these discussions.
   Architect turned director Enamul Haque Nirjhor inaugurated the festival on May 25, while noted artist Qaiyuum Chowdhury distributed prizes among the award winners in the closing ceremony.

New Age: When inspired you to learn Nazrul songs?
   Tanveer Alam Sajeeb: I have been learning Nazrul songs from my childhood. My father Nurul Alam is a Nazrul singer. He used to sing Ganasangeet as well. In fact, there was a music friendly environment and practice in our house from long. When I was in class six, my mom got me get admitted to Bulbul Lalitakala Academy. And there I was given an option to choose between Tagore or Nazrul songs. I chose Nazrul.
   NA: What is the present state of Nazrul songs in Bangladesh?
   TAS: Nazrul songs should have been given top priority, but it’s not. It’s not at the position where it belongs or should be in.
   I cannot speak of others but I have my
   own reasons; I think I should work on Nazrul song more than I am doing right now.
   NA: According to the Nazrul Institute, Nazrul artistes are not singing his songs correctly though the Institute has released CDs copying from original gramophone of Nazrul songs. What do you have to say about this?
   TAS: There’s a huge controversy over this topic. We should follow one style and that should obviously be the original one. We are not united. We need to sit together and decide about the notation and we should go for the authentication of it. And Nazrul Institute is doing it.
   I hardly see people experimenting on Nazrul. I can say about my album ‘Mon Uchatan’ in which the music arrangement is different, but I did not change the tune. I wouldn’t dare to.
   NA: How many albums have you released by now?
   TAS: I have two solo albums—‘Bari Kothay Bolo’ and ‘Mon Uchatan’. The first one received Citycell and Channel
   I award in 2008 as the best debut album.
   I have some songs in mixed albums released from Bangladesh, Toronto and New York.
   NA: What are your future plans?
   TAS: Right now, I am working on five albums. I had moved to the USA in 1993 and returned 14 years later, only for the love of music. I have no plans of leaving Bangladesh now.

A 40-minute film titled ‘Dhanshiri Nadhitir Pashe’, based on the still photographs by Dr Noazesh Ahmed was launched at the Goethe-Institute in Dhanmondi, on Sunday.
   The film, made on 18 poems of Jibanananda Das including Banalata Sen, Abar Ashibo Fire, Akash Nila, Maha Prithibi. The poems have been recited by the Bhaskar Bandapadhaya. The recitation perfectly merged with the still photographs, giving an overall artistic aura.
   The use of various natural sounds such as water drops, the sound of birds’ twittering and wind blowing has been added in the film to give a more realistic touch to the viewers. Jibananda’s surrealism also came out through the in this film.
   Dr Noazesh Ahmed in his film has carefully tried to compose Jibananda’s romantic feelings. Jibananda loved the light of the orange sun at dawn, which he has quoted several times in many of his poems. Dr Noazesh has worked with sunlight very beautifully in his film.
   All the elements that are narrated in Jibananda’s poems like flocks of duck, vultures, paddy, owl, cow, pigeon and dews on grass have been screened skillfully in his film. Beethoven’s moonlight sonata was used in the screening of the poem, Bonolota Sen.
   ‘I am a student of science, especially genetics; it was tough for me to complete this venture but Jibananda’s surrealism inspired me to do this work’, said Ahmed. ‘Different experiences that took place while the shooting of this film in the rural areas have also been included’, he said.
   ‘The film is very special for us and I am very honoured to be present at such a programme,’ said Ms Angela Grunert, Institute Director of Goethe.
   Patak Shamabesh has presented the film and the DVD is available in the market.

Valuables worth about 80,000 euros were stolen from Monica Bellucci’s Paris flat while she was at the Cannes festival, police have said.
   The Italian actress and model was at the closing ceremony of the festival - where she was promoting her film ‘Don’t Turn Around’ - when thieves struck.
   Jewellery, laptop computers and her Italian passport were taken.
   Bellucci is best known for starring in The Matrix Reloaded and playing Mary Magdalene in The Passion of the Christ.
   Police said burglars had entered the fourth floor apartment in eastern Paris from a terrace.
   At Sunday’s closing ceremony in Cannes, Austrian film The White Ribbon won main prize, the Palme d’Or.

Book Fair
   Weeklong Nazrul Granthamela
   Organised by the ministry of cultural affairs
   Time: 10:00am to 7:00pm
   Date: May 25 to May 31
   Venue: Central Public Library
   Shahbagh, Dhaka
   
   Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti Boimela
   Organised by Muktadhara
   Time: 10:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: May 14 to May 28
   Venue: Public Library
   Shabagh, Dhaka
   
   Closing ceremony and cultural programme
   Organised by Nazrul Institute
   Time: 4:00pm
   Date: May 27
   Venue: Sufia Kamal Auditorium
   National Museum, Shahbagh
   Dhaka
   Exhibitions
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   Achin Pakhi
   By Aforja Jamil
   Time: 11:00am to 11:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 31
   Venue: Bay’s Gallery
   54 Gulshan Avenue,
   Gulshan 1, Dhaka
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   People of My Country
   By Bipad Bhanjan Sen Karmaker
   Time: from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 5:00pm to 9:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 28
   Venue: Alliance Française
   26 Mirpur Road,
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Solo Art Exhibition
   Smita 09
   By Smita Srivastava
   Time: 10:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: from May 22 to May 27
   Venue: Gallery Chitrak
   House no 21, Road no 4,
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Photography Exhibition
   Mati Imaging Bangladesh
   Time: 3:30pm
   Date: from May 22 to May 26
   Venue: Drik Gallery
   House 58, Road 15/A (New),
   Dhanmondi,
   Dhaka
   
   Theatre
   Sangkranti
   By Aranayak Natyadal
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium
   Bangladesh Mahila Samity
   Bailey Road, Dhaka
   
   Katha 71/ Jaladas
   By Dhaka Padatik
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Experimental Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   Films
   Home Alone
   Time: 3:30pm
   Date: May 27
   Venue: Goethe-Institut Dhaka,
   House 10, Road 9 (new)
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Cinema at Star Cineplex
   Monpura
   Forbidden Kingdom
   Chondra Grahan
   Basundhara City Shopping Mall
   Panthapath, Dhaka