Delhi gets some 70mm magic

As part of efforts to create a platform for showcasing critically acclaimed movies to the connoisseurs of the national capital, the Government of West Bengal has joined hands with Doordarshan to organize a festival of films by renowned Bengali directors at Banga Bhavan, Hailey Road.

The Best of Indian Cinema – Bengal Film Festival was inaugurated at the Auditorium of Banga Bhavan in the gracious presence of Sanjay Mitra, Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Director General (DD News)  Archana Datta, RD Meena, Special Resident Commissioner, Government of West Bengal, Additional Director General, Doordarshan, Anita Sinha and distinguished film personalities Goutam Ghose, Ashoke Viswanathan and Jahar Kanungo.

This unique collaborative initiative brought forth a bouquet of films which have received awards and laurels at the international festival circuit. The movies screened over a period of two days were Kaalbela (2009), directed by Goutam Ghose, Nisshabd (2005) by Jahar Kanungo, Mahulbonir Sereng (2003) by Sekhar Das, Elar Char Adhyay (2011) by Bappaditya Bandopadhyay, Prohor (2002) by Subhadro Choudhury and The Last Lear (2007) by late filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh. 

A special highlight was a Panel Discussion on Cinema and other allied Arts – the Interdependence by Goutam Ghose, Ashoke Viswanathan and Jahar Kanungo. The session was moderated by eminent film critic Manojit Lahiri. Exhibition of books on films and filmmaking, CDs/DVDs, Bengali handloom and handicrafts and Bengali cuisine were the added attractions of the programme.