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

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

A twelve-day solo exhibition titled ‘Colours of Nature Rhythm of Life’ by Gulshan Hossain begins at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi this evening.
   The Spanish ambassador Arturo Manuel Perez Martinez will inaugurate the show at 6:00pm, the organisers told a press conference at the gallery on Thursday.
   Noted artists Qayyum Chowdhury and Rafiqun Nabi will be special guests while BRAC Bank’s deputy managing director Syed Mahbubur Rahman will be present as guest of honour.
   Addressing the press conference, artist Gulshan Hossain said, ‘I have tried to present the combination of life and nature in the paintings. I hope viewers will get the flavours of different seasons and
   different angles of human figures in my paintings’.
   A graduate of Fine Arts in drawing and painting from Winchester School of Art of the University of Southamton in UK and at present a lecturer in the department of painting at the University of Development Alternative, Gulshan Hossain in her paintings has also tried to narrate some incidents of the country’s war of independence.
   BRAC Bank’s senior vice president Zeeshan Kingshuk Huq told the briefing, ‘We not only invest in financial sector, but also invest in flourishing individual talents of the country’.
   Bengal Shilpalaya director Subir Chowdhury and manager Sarwar Jahan were also present at the press conference.
   Sixty two paintings, done in mixed media, will be on display in the exhibition of the artist who has achieved many honours at home and abroad including the Dipa Haq Award in 17th National Art Exhibition.

A 60-minute docu-drama ‘Bonpora Harini’, based on incidents of human trafficking, was screened at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Wednesday.
   The drama, scripted by Humayun Kabir Emon and directed by Shankar Shaojal, has popular singer Momtaj in the lead role.
   Rokeya Prachi, Chadni, and Shaju Mehedi have also performed in the docu-drama produced by International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
   Additional secretary of the ministry of home affairs, Ghulam Hussain, Norwegian ambassador Ingebjorg Stofring, IOM’s South Asia regional representative Rabab Fatima and member of parliament and popular singer Momtaj Begum, among others, attended the screening programme.
   Speakers at the function said a social movement is needed to combat human trafficking.
   Despite strict laws to punish the criminals, the government has not been able to check trafficking.
   ‘Trafficking is a trans-national problem that requires effective co-ordination and co-operation among the various
   stakeholders, including different ministries and government agencies’, said Ingebjorg Stofring referring to his government’s support in implementing the project.
   Rabab Fatima termed trafficking a serious violation of human rights and one of the worst forms of criminal offences in any society.
   ‘The film ‘Bonpora Horini’ intends to create social awareness by screening it in villages particularly in the bordering areas,’ she added.
   The drama was produced as part of the IOM’s ‘Prevention and Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking in Bangladesh’ project jointly funded by the governments of Norway and Denmark.
   The drama upholds rehabilitation of the victims and it calls to unite against human trafficking.

Compiled from hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage, This Is It documents the final weeks of Michael Jackson’s life, as he prepared to put on the biggest shows of his career at London’s O2 arena.
   BBC Entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba was at the London leg of the movie’s international premiere, held simultaneously in 19 cities worldwide. Here is his verdict.
   While a fascinating insight into Michael Jackson’s tour preparations in the weeks leading up to his death, This Is It never quite manages to be as compelling as many fans will want.
   After weeks of hype and expectation, the movie - pieced together by Jackson’s creative director Kenny Ortega - gives a broad impression of what the final show would have been like. But it only occasionally makes you forget you’re watching a rehearsal.
   The fault doesn’t lie with the film makers. This was a work in progress. And not all the elements that would have eventually been included in the concerts are present.
   What does come across, though, is Michael Jackson’s passion for detail. They were his songs, and he knew exactly how he wanted to perform them.
   Particular highlights are Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (which would have opened the King Of Pop’s shows at London’s O2 arena), Smooth Criminal and Beat It.
   A lot of attention is given to the filmed elements Jackson was creating to accompany the songs. Much effort was put into a creepy, 3D graveyard sequence for Thriller, and a young child playing in a forest for Earth Song.
   We never get to see how these sequences would have actually been integrated into the show, but there’s no doubt they would have dramatically enhanced Jackson’s onstage performance.
   And, despite his age, his dance skills didn’t seem to have diminished. What the film can’t tell us, however, is whether he truly had the stamina to make it through 50 shows.
   Even so, apart from appearing noticeably thin, there were no particular signs of health problems.
   Of course, the nature of the movie means it sometimes lacks atmosphere. It’s difficult enough to portray the energy and excitement of a live concert on film, doing it only with rehearsals is even tougher. Still, Michael Jackson was a charismatic enough performer that his undoubted talent and enthusiasm do come across.
   As a record of the comeback concerts that never were, This Is It is inevitably lacking.
   As a glimpse into the workings of one of music’s greatest stars, it’s unique.

French prison drama A Prophet has won the first best film award to be handed out by the London Film Festival, reports BBC.
   The Star of London prize was presented to lead actor Tahar Rahim by actress Anjelica Huston, chair of the jury.
   The panel, which included singer Jarvis Cocker, also gave a special mention to The Road, John Hillcoat’s film version of Cormac McCarthy’s apocalyptic novel.
   Actor John Hurt was made a fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI) at the awards, held at London’s Inner Temple.
   Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cisse also received the BFI’s highest accolade, presented to him by actress and jury member Charlotte Rampling.
   A Prophet, directed by Jacques Audiard, was one of nine titles shortlisted for the inaugural Star of London prize.
   The hard-hitting drama, which tells of a young convict’s experiences in a crime-ridden prison, received the Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
   Huston said the film was ‘a masterpiece’ that had ‘the ambition, purity of vision and clarity of purpose to make it an instant classic’.
   The awards ceremony also saw screenwriter Jack Thorne receive the best British newcomer prize for coming-of-age drama The Scouting Book for Boys.
   Guests at the event included actors Hugh Bonneville and David Morrissey, directors Ken Russell and Sir Ridley Scott and the artist Sam Taylor-Wood.
   The 53rd London Film Festival comes to a close on Thursday with Nowhere Boy, Taylor-Wood’s drama about the early life of former Beatle John Lennon.
   The movie, which stars newcomer Aaron Johnson as Lennon, is scheduled to open in the UK on Boxing Day.

Street drama staging organisations will meet in a day-long conference at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 10:00am today.
   The fourth biennial conference organised by Bangladesh Patha Natak Parishad will also announce a new committee for the next two years.
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director general Kamal Lohani will inaugurate the programme to be attended, among others, by Aranyak chief secretary Mamunur Rashid, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation secretary Jhuna Chowdhury and Shammilito Shangashkritik Jote secretary Golam Kuddus. BPNP president Mannan Heera will preside over the conference.
   The day’s programme include a rally to be brought out from the Shilpakala Academy premises and presentation of the biennial report by the BPNP’s secretary.

Exhibition
   Colours of Nature
   Rhythm of life
   by Gulshan Hossain
   Time: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
   Venue: Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts
   Date: October 30 to November 10
   House 275/F, road 27 (old),
   Dhanmondi,
   Dhaka
   
   Of Conflict and Harmony
   By Architect Mustapha Khalid Palash
   Time: 11:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: October 23 to November 22
   Venue: Gallery Of Fine Arts
   Asiatic Society of Bangaldesh
   5 old secretariat road
   Nimtali,
   Dhaka
   Sudurer Mita
   By Mustaque Ahmed
   Time: 11:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: October 23 to November 5
   Venue: Gallery Chitrak
   Road 4, house 21, Dhanmondi
   Photography
   Indian Princes and Parisian Jewellers
   Organised by Alliance Française de Dhaka
   Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm and from 5:00pm to 8:30pm
   Date: October 30 to November 5
   Venue: Alliance Française de Dhaka
   26 Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   Theatre
   A drama
   By Shabdabali (Barisal)
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: National Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Prakrita Purangana
   By Desh Natak
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Experimental Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Azrailer Post Mortem
   By Unmachan Theatre
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium
   Bangladesh Mahila Samity
   Bailey Road, Dhaka
   
   Meraj Fakirer Ma
   Theatre (Bailey Road)
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Zahir Raihan Cultural Centre
   Sutrapur, Dhaka
   Film show
   The Beautiful Troublemaker
   Filmmaker: Jacques Rivette (France)
   Time: 5:00pm
   Venue: Alliance Française de Dhaka
   26 Mirpur Road
   Dhanmondi,
   Dhaka
   
   Film show at Star Cineplex
   Monpura
   Transporter 3
   Slumdog Millionaire
   Chiradin Ami Tomar
   Basundhara City Shopping Mall
   Panthapath, Dhaka