Cultural Correspondent
The 1st International Women’s Film Festival organised by Women’s Film Society commenced on Monday through discussion and honouring eminent women in the local film industry. There was also a screening of films at the main auditorium of National Museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
The festival with the theme Films in Women’s Eyes has been organised on the occasion of the world women’s day to promote the women filmmakers in the country.
Six noted women filmmakers—Shahnewaj Cacoly, Shamim Akhter, Kohinoor Akhter Suchanda, Nargis Akhter, Arifa Parvin Moushumi and Samia Jaman were conferred honorary crests at the programme for their contributions to the filmdom of the country.
State minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz handed over the crests to the recipients as the chief guest of the programme. Laitun Nahar Ekram, president of the society, and Mehedi Hasan, festival director and others also attended the programme.
According to the programme, the festival will feature 25 films made by filmmakers from 16 countries across the world.
A large number of movie viewers thronged the venue at Main Auditorium of National Museum and Public Library Auditorium to enjoy the films screened thrice everyday at 11:00am, 2:00pm and 5:00pm at two venues.
On the opening day, Shahnewaj Cacoly’s Uttorer Sur and Polish director Marta Prus’s And Noting Around were screened at National Museum Auditorium. National award winning film Uttorer Sur depicts the daily struggles of the people living in the northern region of Bangladesh through portrayal of a father and his little daughter. On the other hand, And Noting Around features a story based on a novel by Judy Budnitz, focusing on the relationship between a mother and a daughter who shares the same fears.
On Tuesday, five films were screened at the Public Library and National Mmuseum auditorium. Those were British director Kim Loninotto’s Salma and Taiwanese director Ya-Ting Hsu’s Princess 56 Moushumi’s Kokhono Megh Kokhono Bristy and Jordanian director Darin J. Sallam’s The Dark Outside and Samia Jaman’s Rani Kuthir Baki Itihas.
Source: Weekly Holiday
