Youth Bangla International Film Festival 2021 to begin 10 Dec

 Echoing the slogan 'Together we all, divided we fall', Youth Bangla Cultural Foundation is going to inaugurate an international film festival titled 'Youth Bangla International Film Festival' on December 10 at the International Hope School Theatre Hall, Uttara in the capital.

The maiden edition of this week-long international film festival is commemorating the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's Independence, according to the organizers.

Showcasing a total of 60 national and international films, the festival is going to be the first-ever festival in the country using the Dolby Atmos surround system, to ensure the enhanced audio-visual experience for the moviegoers.

A press event was arranged on Tuesday at the Bangladesh Shooting Sports Federation, where the organizers briefed the journos about the details of the festival.

The press conference was joined by several iconic cultural personalities of the country including noted thespian-filmmaker Gazi Rakayet, also the festival director, alongside legendary actresses Dilara Zaman, Sharmili Ahmed, Shampa Reza, recitation artist Shimul Mustapha, singer-music director S I Tutul, silver screen actress and Youth Bangla's film secretary Nipun, actor Shipan Mitra, director Sohanur Rahman Sohan and more.

Youth Bangla Cultural Foundation President Muna Chowdhury and the festival's Chief Patron Seema Hamid were also present at the press conference.

A total of five films will be selected from the participating films to be awarded in this festival, the organizers said at the press conference. Films have been selected from India, Iran, Germany, Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Netherland, alongside Bangladeshi films, according to the organizers. 

The opening film for this year's festival is Hasina: A Daughter's Tale directed by Piplu Khan. Several other prominent Bangladeshi films are also scheduled to be showcased in the festival, including Muktir Gaan by late eminent filmmaker Tareque Masud; Morshedul Islam directed Liberation War-based film Amar Bondhu Rashed and Gazi Rakayet directed film Gor (The Grave), Bangladesh's first English-language based film and second nomination for the upcoming 94th edition of the Oscars.

"One of our penultimate goals for this debuting film festival is to building a bridge between our new generation filmmakers and the rest of the cineworld," Gazi Rakayet said at the press conference. A highly-revered, five-member international and independent jury board will select the best films, best directors and best actors-actresses, he informed.

"Our Youth Bangla Cultural Foundation believes that films can spontaneously depict human emotions, and a single good film can positively change a person and the society. Through this first-ever film festival, we sincerely want to connect all of our talented film artistes, filmmakers and scholars, for the betterment of our esteemed film industry," Youth Bangla Cultural Foundation President Muna Chowdhury said at the press conference.

From 3 pm till 9 pm, the festival is expecting to cater up to 450 moviegoers each day till December 16.