The 4th Bangladesh Short and Documentary Film Festival started today in eight divisional cities of the country. The five-day event, organized by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and the Department of Drama and Film, will continue until May 31.
Filmmaker Anam Biswas inaugurated the festival. Mohammad Wares Hossain, secretary and acting Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, is chairing both the opening and closing sessions. Cultural Adviser Mostafa Sarwar Faruqui will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony.
This year, the festival received 300 film submissions nationwide, out of which 89 films were selected for screening. The entries include 209 fiction films and 91 documentaries. A jury will select the best film, best filmmaker, and special jury awards in both categories.
Four special awards will also be given for best photographer, best editing, best sound planning, and best production planning. The festival aims to promote social and humanitarian values through quality short and documentary films.
Film Critic Sadia Khalid Reeti, a member of this year’s selection committee, spoke to Bangladesh Post, saying, “This is my second time in the selection committee for this festival. The submissions were much better in quality than what I saw four years back. Especially screening the films in all 8 divisions outside of Dhaka simultaneously is a very good addition. I hope people come to see the films at the festival.”
The prize money for the best film is 1.5 lakh taka, best filmmaker will receive one lakh taka, and the special jury award is set at 50,000 taka. Each special award category carries a prize of 30,000 taka. All participating filmmakers will receive a plaque and certificate.
This is the fourth edition of the festival, following previous events in 2016, 2018, and 2021, serving as an important platform to encourage talented filmmakers and promote meaningful cinema in Bangladesh.
