Cultural Correspondent
The screening a 28 minutes-length short film Meenalaap (Fish Monologue), and a 10 minutes-length experimental film “Parapar” (English title: Crossing Over) – both directed by Suborna Senjutee Tushee was held on Sunday, 25th August 2019 evening at Goethe-Institut Bangladesh auditorium.
The event turned lively with a moderation of the Q&A discussion session presided over by Zahidur Rahim Anjan, President of Short Film Forum,
This screening was the sixth edition of the ‘Through Her Eyes’ film screening and Q&A discussion series, organized jointly by the Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, in cooperation with, the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB).
Dr. Kirsten Hackenbroch, Director, Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, in her welcoming note said that, “It is wonderful to see how “Through Her Eyes” has become a platform not only to promote for female filmmakers. It has also become a space for everyone in the film community to network, and by doing so to overcome the gender biases.”
Samia Zaman, President of the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB), in her speech mentioned that, the IFIB tries to work with the young filmmakers for capacity building. “It was an honor to be able to show Suborna Senjuti Tushee’s films in the latest version of Through Her Eyes. I am glad to see THE is becoming a gathering space for filmmakers just as we envisaged. Having another Film Institute, alumni and President of Short Film Forum conducting the Q&A gave our program a special resonance.’’
Film synopsis: (Meenalap):
This film is about transformation of life while living in a lonely city and about Hope.
Meenalap (Soliloquy of the fishes) revolves around a Bengali couple migrated from a remote village of West Bengal to Pune city, working in a garments factory and struggling to meet the ends while expecting a child.
The film delves in to the psychological changes of them in the realm of urban alienation in absence of own family and culture while becoming a mother and father from husband and wife for the first time.
DIRECTOR’S BIO
Cultural activist Suborna Senjutee Tushee starting her profession as journalist in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Then she worked as copywriter in advertising Sector. She was involved in-group theatre from her childhood. Postgraduate in Economics, she worked in television as an anchor, as program-writer, and has experienced as Scriptwriter of Cinema, Television Drama and social welfare section. After finishing her P. G. Diploma in Film Direction and Script Writing from Film & Television Institute of India, Pune (F.T.I.I) she is practicing film making in her motherland, Bangladesh. Recently, she got Seven International Award for her Debut Short Film ‘Meenalaap/Fish Monologue’!
About the initiative: “Through Her Eyes”:
Women have been making films from the beginning of film production history. In Bangladesh, we currently see a number of women filmmakers actively creating and working in all genres of filmmaking. However, it remains a challenge for a woman to be a director and continue to create a body of work. Worldwide, relatively few women can carve out that opportunity for themselves.
Through Her Eyes’ gives film enthusiasts, film students, academics, film professionals, funding agencies, broadcasters, rights groups and journalists a regular opportunity to watch films by women filmmakers currently working in Bangladesh and to interact with them directly at the end of the screening.
