Bangladeshi Models

"Call me Salma" directed by Canadian couple Sébastien Rist and Aude Leroux-Lévesque

“Call me Salma” directed by Canadian couple Sébastien Rist and Aude Leroux-Lévesque, the film is a story about “love and loss. In the crowded back alleys of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Salma enters the mysterious and rich world of Tran-sexuality. Salma, a 16-year-old Hijra, abruptly left her village and family to enter the effervescent city life in search of a clear identity, a new family and above all, a sense of acceptance. Emotionally torn between her youth and her desire of being a woman. Salma decides to return to her village and face events that force her to question the preconceived notions of gender, family and love.” The film runs for 53 minutes 47 seconds.

The Media Studies and Journalism Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWS) jointly organised the premier show of the documentary film at the ULAB Auditorium in Dhanmondi recently.

Sébastien and Aude have been in Dhaka for the past few months following the lives of the Hijra in order to complete this documentary film, which will be shown on French Television later this year. It was Aude’s exposure in Dhaka that made them decide to film a documentary on the Hijra. Everyone is invited to attend this event.

Raised in Pointe-Claire Quebec, Canada, Sébastien graduated with distinction from Concordia University. Producing and mixing music in his teenage years, his passion for media arts quickly transcended into film and video; creating numerous independent fictional and documentary shorts. His last short film ‘This Little Piggy’ won ‘best student short’ at the World Film Festival in Montreal as well as winning the People’s Choice Award at both the 2008 Enroute Film Festival and Young Cuts Film Festival. Aude Leroux-Lévesque, on the other hand, has always been fascinated by arts, cultures and languages.

Having done non-government organization (NGO) work in Cuba, Bangladesh and Lebanon, Aude has developed a keen sensitivity that she has been able to filter through her independent documentaries. Having directed an award winning short fiction ‘Camille and the musical cherries’ (Best film, Young Cuts film Festival 2007), Aude has since been channelling her creative energy in social conscious media.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina called on filmmakers Saturday to produce at least one children's film every year : PM to filmmakers

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina called on filmmakers Saturday to produce at least one children’s film every year. Hasina made the call as she inaugurated the Third Children’s Film Festival at Osmani Memorial auditorium. The festival, being held every year since 2008, hosted by the Children’s Film Society will run from Jan 23 to Jan 29.

Festival director Morshedul Islam said the event aims at acquainting children with different cultures through creative films from home and abroad. The festival will screen 243 films from 50 countries at 12 venues in Dhaka. Admission is free for children. Festival advisory council chairman Mustafa Monwar demanded construction of a national children’s film complex that educate children to on many subjects. The opening session was addressed among others by information minister Abul Kalam, Children’s Film Society president Zafar Iqbal and information secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury.

The prime minister inaugurating the event said more than half of the population was below 18 but children’s film is almost entirely neglected. “Children should get priority as spectators and there is no valid reason for not making films for them,” she said. Hasina said, history, tradition, liberation war, culture, customs and behaviour and values could easily be etched into the young impressionable minds of children. “Film is a very powerful art medium, which could be properly used for the benefit of children with appropriate initiatives,” she said.

The prime minister also urged the film makers to use films as tools for fighting different social maladies like terrorism and militancy. “Make such films which can help children develop human qualities.” “A good film teaches a man how to love the country and how to transform himself into a good person,” said the prime minister. Taking a swipe at the filmmakers, Hasina said, “Instead of wasting money, you should work together to mould children’s characters for the future.”

The prime minister also called on them to instil patriotism among children so that they can serve the nation better in future. “A memorable character can etch itself into the minds of children for a lifetime,” she said, adding that the children of Bangladesh are showing their true potential at home and abroad. Hasina assured the filmmakers all-out assistance for children’s films. “The government used to fund only three films before. But now it will finance five films of which two can be for children.”

Delhiites had a touch of Bangladesh at the recent Puja celebrations. The city came alive as a troupe of Bangladeshi artistes arrived in the capital to stage performances at several Puja mandaps. Well known cultural organisation Shadhona was in the thick of the festivities as it coordinated the various performances with the Dhriti group.

Finally the curtains came down with exclusive Shadhona events spread over two days — at the residence of the Bangladesh High Commissioner and the cultural hub, India International Centre respectively. For Manipuri dancer Warda Rihab, head of the Dhriti delegation, the performances at the mandaps were an eye opener. To quote her, “I was told that nothing much happens at Puja in Delhi. Quite the contrary, our performances received a tremendous response. Some people in the audience even cried because many had their roots in Bangladesh and our shows revived old memories.”

Bangladeshi artistes stage performances at Puja mandap

Meanwhile the performance, entitled “ Season of Festivities,” at the residence of the Bangladesh High Commissioner, too effectively showcased the magic of Bangladeshi dance and music. “The programme, with about 16 performers, was a fusion of different styles. There was music, dance, singing — folk, Nazrul and Rabindra Sangeet. It was a fusion in the sense of featuring different styles of classical dance and our own folk dances. The theme was the six seasons, of course,” said Dr. Naila Khan, trustee, Shadhona.

The curtains came down the following day with a Shadhona-IIC programme, “A recital of Indian Classical Dances by Bangladeshi Dancers”. Beginning with two superb solo Manipuri dances by Warda Rihab and Samina Hussain respectively, the programme also encased a Bharatnatyam performance (by Arpita Shom and Amit Chowdhury) and ended with a Kathak recital by Tahmina Anwar Anika.

A brief rundown of the star performers of the evening: Warda Rihab and Samina Hossain are both disciples of Smt Kalavati Devi, the foremost disciple and wife of the late Guru Bipin Singh, who is acknowledged to have brought Manipuri dance from the ritualistic mandapa to the proscenium. Both have also studied and performed extensively under the well-known Sharmila Banerjee, a leading exponent of dance in Bangladesh, at Chhayanaut. While both are recipients of various awards, Warda is an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholar, and Samina has trained at the ICCR Dance Academy in Dhaka.

The other dancers too have impeccable credentials. Arpita was awarded an ICCR scholarship and completed her graduation and post-graduation in Bharatnatyam at the Rabindra Bharati University of Kolkata under the guidance of Guru Khogendra and Guru Rajdeep Bannerjee. Amit Chowdhury has trained under several leading Bharatnatyam exponents. Currently he is undergoing a special training on Creative Dance and Tagorean Dance from Rabindra Bharati University.

Kathak danseuse Tahmina Anwar, a disciple of Munmun Ahmed (student of Pandit Birju Maharaj), is presently training under Pandit Krishan Mohan Misra of Delhi. To Tahmina goes the credit of receiving several awards, both as a child prodigy and now as an upcoming dancer. Tahmina has trained at the ICCR Dance Academy in Dhaka. What made these dancers’ Delhi recitals the more remarkable was that they are all young and upcoming artistes. They may have a long way to go in the dance firmament but they certainly reveal the makings of artistes to watch out for in the future.