Two-day film and poetry fest in Kolkata from June 9
To include cinema, poetry, talks, performances, master class...
KOLKATA: In the post-Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen era, Buddhadeb Dasgupta was a visionary filmmaker who consistently placed Bengal on the global map of cinema. On June 10, 2021, the ‘Uttara’ filmmaker, aged 77, breathed his last in Kolkata.
Celebrated for his films steeped in social realism and magic realism, Dasgupta’s work resonated deeply with audiences.
However, his artistic contributions extended beyond the world of cinema, as his poetic sensibilities also touched the hearts of many.
Come June 9 and a two-day film and poetry festival is being organised for the first time in the city to pay tribute to one of the giants of Bengali cinema.
A brainchild of his wifedirector Sohini Dasgupta, the festival will include cinema, poetry, talks, performances, master class, and a memorial lecture on the filmmaker. Organised by the Buddhadeb Dasgupta Memorial Trust in collaboration with Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute and Forum of Film Studies and Allied Arts, award-winning director Kumar Shahani will deliver the memorial lecture at SRFTI on June 2 at 6.30 pm.
The fest opens with Dasgupta’s 50-minute Hindi film, ‘Krishnakali & Banshi’. It will be followed by a poetry session and the screening of the docufilm, ‘Meeting A Milestone’ on Ustad Bismillah Khan by Gautam Ghose.
“After Buddha da passed away, I founded the Buddhadeb
Dasgupta Memorial Trust. The intention was to preserve his films, promote alternative art forms be it cinema or poetry and make the alternative the new mainstream. On the second death anniversary of Buddha da, we thought of curating a unique poetry and film festival. Buddha da was a filmmaker and poet and both forms influenced each other. Several times, I have seen how he weaved poems after making a film (in the case of ‘Tope’) and vice versa. I have always liked the interconnection and have had several discussions with him. Hence, on his second death anniversary, we thought of paying tribute to the master in a different way,” she said.
From his cinematic gems like ‘Bagh Bahadur’, to the acclaimed documentary ‘The Melody Continues’ on legendary music composer Naushad Ali, the fest will serve as a homage to Dasgupta’s remarkable contributions to the world of storytelling.
The fest opens with Dasgupta’s 50-minute Hindi film, ‘Krishnakali & Banshi’