Cultural Correspondent
 

A four-day festival titled “Films for Fresher’s” concluded on Wednesday at Dhaka Univesity TSC auditorium drawing  appreciations from the viewers, mostly the young students of the university. 
Dhaka University Film Society organized the film festival organised the festival making an opportunity to watch the screening of some timeless movies from different corners of the world. The  concluding day ( Wednesday ) saw the screening of  three great movies- “The Secret in their eyes,” “Dancer in the Dark” and “Shunte Ki Pao.”
Spanish movie “The Secret in Their Eyes,” The winner of “Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film” in 2009, was screened at 10am. Directed by Juan José Campanella, the film features a retired legal counselor who writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior - both of which still haunt him decades later.
At 1pm the viewers  enjoy the 2000 Danish musical drama film “Dancer in the Dark,” winner of the “Palme d'Or,” at the Cannes. Directed by Lars von Trier, the film depicts an east European girl goes to America with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film.
Bangladeshi film “Shunte Ki Pao” (are you listening) directed by Kamar Ahmed Simon was the concluding film of the festival. The winner of the “Best Film” award at this year’s “Paris Cinema Du Reel” brought immense glory to our country.
The film, based on the lives of residents of a small village in coastal Bangladesh, had been screened at the biggest documentary festival in the world, IDFA, and was the opening film at Dok Leipzig, the oldest documentary festival. The film is continuing to receive wonderful response from the world of cinema.

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Children learn acrobatics at the workshop organised by Shilpakala Academy.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has arranged a workshop on acrobatics for children aged from five to 15 who will perform at a show on 25th May at National Art Center of BSA.
Two trainers from Bangladesh Shilpakala Circus and Acrobatic Team, Rina Akhtar Putul and Shahana Akhtar are conducting the workshop with children who have been selected from different schools of Dhaka city.
From 70 applicants, the organisers selected 50 school children to participate in the three-week workshop beginning  from May 3 .
According to the organisers ,  children participating in the workshop as well as members of Bangladesh Shilpakala Circus and Acrobatic Team will perform in the one and a half hour show on Saturday.
Sponsored by cultural affairs ministry, the Academy organised acrobatic workshop for the first time in 1994. A North Korean team of experts trained the participants during that time.
Following that workshop, four shows of acrobatics had been held in different part of the country until 1998. In order to promote this performing art, a school for acrobats was started in Rajbari but the project was stalled without much progress.
After several years the Academy started the school’s work again and with the help of the ministry, it formed Bangladesh Shilpakala Circus and Acrobatic Team last year. This team is regularly performing in shows being held in different parts of the country.

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Bappy and Achol star in ‘Jotil Prem’ The romantic-thriller “Jotil Prem,”, a love story of  complexity ,  directed by Shahin – Sumon has been release last week in 70 cinemas all over the country.
 It is all about a  love between a rich lady and a middle class man . The story revolves around a family drama entering into various complex situation of present day urban society.
This is for the first time Dhallywood’s new sensation Bappy Chowdhury and heroine Achol are acting together. The audiences are waiting to watch the new chemistry of the new on screen couple in the digital film.
The story of the film revolves around a family drama and love story between a rich lady and a middle class man. The protagonist Jibon is from a middle class family and is very attached to his family, especially to his elder brother. A girl from an elite family falls in love with Jibon after she meets him. The girl proposes him again and again. But Jibon ignores her as his brother does not want him to be in a relationship with a class difference. However, some dramatic situations change his mind and the story reaches to climax.
Earlier Bappy acted in two films named “Bhalobashar Rong,” and “Onnorokom Bhalobasha” which received positive responses from audience. Yesterday he started shooting for the upcoming film “Keu Prem Kore Keu Preme Pore,” directed by Wazed Ali Sumon.

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Rainbow Film Society, a Bangladeshi community based cultural organisation in UK, is organising an eight-day film festival in Tower Hamlet of East London from Sunday.
A total of eight Bangla and Hindi films- ‘Ghetu Putra Kamala’, ‘Abhiman’, ‘Laltip’, ‘Charulata’, ‘Tribute to Subhas Dutta’, ‘Remote Control’, ‘English Vinglish’ and ‘Attacks of 26/11’- will be screened at the festival.
‘Ghetu Putro Komola’ is the last-directed Bangla feature film of late writer-filmmaker Humayun Ahmed.
The film, which has been produced by Impress Telefilm Ltd, features Ghetu songs, a musical trend which was prevalent in Hobiganj some 150 years ago.
Ghetu songs were known for their traditional tunes, but what really set them apart were the Ghetu performers. Adolescent boys dressed as girls, used to perform the songs.
The film tried to bring to life a rather strange ritual which is now considered – ‘lost’.
The plot of the film ‘Laltip’ revolves around two Bangladeshi expatriates in France, their love and life. The storyline also tries to bring forward the complexity of Bangladeshi community living abroad.
Featuring Emon and Kushum Shikdar in lead roles, ‘Lal Tip’ also includes popular French actors Daniel Cramer, Gerrard Dopado, Deborah Newman, Natalie Francesci and Leuna.
The rest of the Bangladeshi cast includes ATM Shamsuzzaman, Shahidul Alam Sachchu, Sohel Khan, Mishu and Konal among others.
‘Charulata’ is a film directed by Satyajit Ray, based upon the novella ‘Nastanirh’ by Rabindranath Tagore. It features Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee and Sailen Mukherjee.
The film ‘English Vinglish’ is an Indian comedy-drama film written and directed by Gauri Shinde. The film revolves around a housewife, who enrols in an English speaking course in order to overcome the embarrassment from her husband and daughter.
The film ‘Attacks of 26/11’ is a Hindi docudrama directed by Ram Gopal Varma, based on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The film stars Sanjeev Jaiswal, playing the role of terrorist Ajmal Kasab, with art direction by Uday Singh.
With the theme - Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society - Rainbow Film Society was founded at Whitechapel Art Gallery in East London on December 16 in 1991.
From the very beginning of its historic journey, the society is involved with film screening, conducting workshops and seminars on film, organising training programmes and publishing its magazine ‘Fade In’.
With a view to advancing understanding and appreciation of the art of the film, the organisation arranges the festival every year from 2000.
The festival is scheduled to be concluded on June 2.

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Aranyak Natyadal, a  theatre group,  premiered its latest play ‘Putulkothon’ on Monday evening   vividly portraying  the  sorrows  of    the  traditional  puppet  show, once  a  popular  entertainment  medium  in  the country.
‘Putulkothon’, is  the  47th production of Aranyak, saw its premiere at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the city.
Aranyak, which sees theatre less as a genre of entertainment and more as a weapon of social change, often brings theatrical productions which highlight social issues and generate awareness against fundamentalism, bigotry, exploitation in the name of religion, gender discrimination and others.
Written by Mishu Milan and directed by Hashim Masud, ‘Putulkothon’ is an experimental production, which focused on the struggles for  survival  of puppeteers for puppet-practice as well as some shocking sides of religious extremism in rural life.
‘Putulkothon’, which showcases hideous sides of religious extremism, is the story of a puppeteer who struggles for his livelihood by playing puppet shows. However, some religious extremists interfere in his business stating that puppet show is an act against Islam. And, this is how the play goes forward depicting the superstitions of religion.
Stage lights for the production were done by Farid Uddin while Sheikh Milan designed the set and music was done by Parimal Majumdar.
The cast of the play included Rubly Chowdhury, Hasina Safina Banu Urmi, Manir Zaman, Sujat Shimul, Firoj Mamun, Parvez, Sheikh Milan, Zahid, Suruvi, Kaushik, Shahran, Shahid, Apu, Munna, Sushanta, Anirban and Ziad, among others.

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Popular rock band of the country Prometheus has launched a social awareness programme to raise awareness among the youth, especially school and college students regarding old home practice.
‘It’s becoming a growing tendency across the world, including our country, to put our elders, our aged parents to old homes,’ vocal of the band Biplob said.
‘To every conscious man and woman, I think, this is a self-degrading practice,’ he continued, ‘It is true that our lives have become fast and commercial to the point of no return, but one’s responsibility towards one’s parents remains the bigger truth.’
Observing the growing trend of old home practice, the band has begun the programme titled Bridhhashram ke Na Balo (say no to old home).

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Actress Sherlyn Chopra, who posed for adult magazine Playboy last year, wore a transparent ensemble for a red carpet event at the 66th Cannes International Film Festival. She is there to promote her debut film Kamasutra 3D with the team.
Sherlyn took to the red carpet in what looks like a transparent black dress with a solid black brassiere to hide her modesty. A heavy Rajasthan-inspired neckpiece takes away a bit of the attention from the dress.
She posed before the screening of the movie The Blind Detective in Cannes on Sunday night.
Kamasutra 3D director Rupesh Paul says it was a "proud moment" for his movie's team to be at the Cannes fest, where India is the guest country this year.
The film's team is there since May 15, when the festival took off, to unveil the second trailer of their film. Before leaving for Cannes, Paul had told the media that they will also be revealing the name of the Hollywood actress who will be the lead in the movie's sequel Kamasutra 4D, at the festival.

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