The New Nation - Internet Edition

Event: 2nd Int’l Children’s Film Festival from Jan 24

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

With the vow to open a new world of cinema to the children of Bangladesh and to give culture and tradition of different countries through cinema a week-long international children film festival titled '2nd International Children's Film Festival' will be held from January 24 to 30 in Dhaka. Children's Film Society (CFS), Bangladesh is going to organise the festival.

The festival will be held in the capital's five venues - Shawkat Osman Hall and Seminar Hall of the Central Public Library Auditorium, British Council Auditorium, German Cultural Centre Auditorium, Russian Centre for Science and Culture and Iran Cultural Centre.

Nature of the festival is generally non-competitive. Audience award will be given by the popular votes of child audience. Besides, a competition will be held for the films made by Bangladeshi children. Feature, short, animation and documentary films suitable for children will be shown in the festival.

This was disclosed at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity Hall Room yesterday organised by the CFS.

Country's eminent artist and puppeteers Mustafa Monwar was present as chief guest at the conference, while Farah Kabir, Country Director of Actionaid Bangladesh, filmmaker and festival director Morshedul Islam, Munira Morshed Munni, General Secretary of the CFS, Sheikh Sazid, festival coordinator, among others, were present on the occasion.

This year's slogan of the festival is 'Future in Frames.' More than 120 films of 40 countries will be screened during the festival. Films will be screened at 11:00am, 2:00pm, 4:00pm and 6:00pm everyday, said the organisers.

More than 100 children representatives will take part in the festival. Selection of the representatives was held through essay competition.

A number of physically challenged and deprived children will get opportunity to participated in the festival as children representatives. They will also get opportunity to attend a workshop and scope of meeting with three renowned personalities during the festival, they said.

TV Watch: Swapnachura reaches climax

Entertainment Report

Popular drama serial 'Swapnachura' will be aired on Banglavision at 9:45pm tonight. Now the serial reaches into climax. Fazlul Haque Akash has scripted the drama, while Fazlur Rahman has directed the serial. The 142nd episode of the drama serial will be aired tonight.

Aporna will be presented in different mood in the coming episodes. She takes food distribution programme. A common character will be seen in the characters of Boby, disguised father and Zayed. Many dramatisations will be found with Zayed. Afzal biriyaniwala threatens Zayed. But he tries to make an affair with Nora. His previous girlfriend Samia will see the intimate relationship between Zayed and Nora. Other issues will be also focused in these episodes.

Parul Somachar

Entertainment Report

Recently Laser Vision has released VCD of telefilm 'Parul Somachar,' presented by Mostafa Sarwar Faruki, in the market. Rajib Ahmed has written story of the film. He has also scripted and directed the telefilm. It is a production of Chhobiyal and coordinated by Enamul Kabir Sujan under the production of Rupkotha Productions.

Joyonto Chatterjee, Azra Mahmud, Rifat Chowdhury, Shirin Alam, Rana, James, Zia and Kajol have performed in the telefilm. Story of the telefilm based on lifestyle of a prostitute. According to the story of the telefilm, a writer needs a prostitute to assist him for his research work. Then he brought a prostitute to his house and explained her changing lifestyle. Though the writer exceeds the social barrier but he did not neglect his sexual relationship with the prostitute. In the film, Azra performed in the lead role as a prostitute. She performed well and presented her character in talented way.

TV Show: Showa Panch Arai Lane on ATN Bangla tonight

Entertainment Report

The 31st episode of drama serial 'Showa Panch Arai Lane' to be aired on ATN Bangla at 8:00pm tonight. Mominul Islam has written story of the drama, while Golam Sohrab Dodul has directed the serial. Challenger, Dr Inamul Haque, Momo, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Tushar Khan, Rahamat Ali, Al Mansur, Ahsanul Haque Minu, Eresh Zaker, Tania, Tazin Ahmed, Joyraj, among others, have performed in the drama serial.

Story of Showa Panch Arai Lane:

Story of the drama revolves with the lifestyle in a boarding at the old part of Dhaka city. It is 100 years old. Some of the boarders come here for one or two days, while some other come to stay here for long time. Some of them are of various characters. These will be focused in the drama serial.

Rtv airs Priyodarshini

Entertainment Report

Drama serial 'Priyodarshini' to be aired on Rtv at 9:40pm tonight. Pranab Bhatta has written the story, while Nazrul Islam and Arun Chowdhury have jointly scripted and directed the drama serial. Dilara Zaman, Suborna Mustafa, Tazin Ahmed, Amirul Islam, Sharmily Ahmed, Apurbo, Azizul Hakim, Golam Farida Chhanda, Chumky, among others, performed in the serial.

Story of Priyodarshini:

Story of the drama serial is based on the lifestyle, activities of women. Women's feelings, emotional values, needs, joys, pains and other matters were reflected in the drama serials. Of these women, someone is mother, someone is sister, someone is bride or some other is girlfriend. In one hand, mother is searching her daughter, on the other hand daughter found her lover and established a new life. Besides, conflicts between husband and wife are found in the drama serial.

Hollywood: Slumdog wins 5 awards

AP, Santa Monica, Calif

The critics have spoken, and 'Slumdog Millionaire' is their final answer.

The rags-to-riches tale won a leading five prizes, including best picture, at Thursday night's Critics' Choice Awards. 'Slumdog' also won honours for director Danny Boyle, writer Simon Beaufoy, star Dev Patel and composer AR Rahman.

"It's amazing to see how generous you've been to our film," said Boyle, who called the movie "a love song" to Mumbai. "You're mad really," he continued backstage. "You're a bit like the Indians are mad about movies. When you find a movie you love, you go for it really." "The Dark Knight" also won a pair of trophies: best action movie and best supporting actor for Heath Ledger. The crowd rose to its feet as the film's director, Christopher Nolan, accepted the award for Ledger.

"I can't presume to speak for him. His voice was as unique as it was original," said Nolan, adding that working with the actor "was one of the greatest experiences any of us ever had or will have."

Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose in January 2007. Sean Penn was another double winner, earning best actor honors and sharing the acting-ensemble prize for "Milk." A humble Penn said the real Harvey Milk would have been his first choice for the starring role.

Co-star Josh Brolin called Penn's turn as the groundbreaking gay politician "the most incredible performance ever." Milk came into the contest with eight nominations.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" also had eight nods, but didn't win a single award.

Kate Winslet was named best supporting actress for "The Reader," while Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep tied for best actress for "Rachel Getting Married" and "Doubt" respectively. Winslet and Streep weren't on hand to accept their awards, nor was Bruce Springsteen, who won best song for "The Wrestler," from the movie of the same name. Director Darren Aronofsky accepted on the Boss' behalf.

Richard Gere received a standing ovation as he accepted the Joel Siegel award, which recognises an entertainer's humanitarian efforts. The 59-year-old actor is a long-time supporter of Tibet.

The 14th annual Critics' Choice Awards, presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, honoured cinematic excellence in 17 categories. The group, which represents more than 200 TV, radio and online critics from the United States and Canada, founded the Critics' Choice Awards in 1995.

Aishwarya turns towards politics?

The buzz is that chances are Aishwarya Rai Bacchan would turn towards politics. Apparently efforts are on to persuade the ethereally beautiful actress to enter politics.

If all goes well, she could contest in the forthcoming parliamentary elections that are due in a couple of months.

Now we all know that Bachchans have a strong connection with the Samajwadi Party and that Amar Singh is a close family friend.

Ash's mum-in-law Jaya Bachchan is currently a member of the Parliament on the Samajwadi ticket. The party is trying to rope in other B-town candidates and field them against top politicians.

Sanjay Dutt could contest against the former Prime Minister Vajpayee from the Lucknow constituency.

- Agency