The International Children’s Film Festival is going to start with the slogan ‘Frame-a Frame-a Agamir Shopno’. This year the festival will be organized by the Children’s Film Society. And, it will commence on January 30. Meanwhile, this is the fourteenth edition of the week-long festival.
Due to the global outbreak of coronavirus, the submission of the film started in October. Volunteer recruitment is not happening due to public safety. Although in the past years the work of film submission had started even earlier. Even if the situation does not improve, the organizers are thinking of holding an online festival.
According to the organizers, the film can be submitted until November 15. This year, a special section called ‘Neo Normal’ has been added where people under the age of 25 can submit films. The festival will be held at various venues including Central Public Library, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Alliance Frances. Films and documentaries of the children filmmakers are screened at this festival every year. Judges are there to reward the makers. There are also workshops and financial incentives for child filmmakers.
Morshedul Islam, the founder of the Children’s Film Society of Bangladesh, said the festival was first organized in 2006 with the idea that not all children would make films, but that leadership qualities would be manifested in children. Even though we are behind the scenes, all the work is done by children and teenagers in this festival, he added.
