The New Nation - Internet Edition

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.