Fifth Annual Bengali Film Festival
Saturday November 24 - Sunday November 25
The 5th annual Bengali Film Festival is presented to create awareness of Bengali arts and culture through films. The Festival also hopes to raise funds for Bengali studies at the University of Toronto. In addition to the exciting offering of Bengali and other South Asian films there will be a (back by popular demand) Silent Auction on Saturday, Nov 24. The Silent Auction items are being generously donated by community friends, families, and local businesses.
Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 12:00 PM
A feature film titled THE CHILD-GOD (DEBSHISU), in Hindi with English subtitles
Release Date: 1985
Runtime: 107 minutes
Writer/Director: Utpalendu Chakraborty
Cast: Smita Patil, Sadhu Meher, Om Puri, Rohini Hattangady
The film is the winner of Best Feature Film prize, awarded by Bengali Film Journalists. Raghubir and Sita, a poor, rural couple, visit Sita’s elder brother in another village to find the news of the arrival of a Child-God. Blessings are offered for a small entrance fee, of course. Raghubir discovers that the custodians of this Child-God to be Hanuman and Prasad, the magician duo who convinced him to part with a freak child born to his wife and that the Child-God, with three heads and four arms, is the same child. Religion and blind faith now take a back seat as Raghubir stakes a desperate claim for a share in the racket.
Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 2:10 PM
A documentary film titled THE UNKNOWN BIRD (ACHIN PAKHI), in Bengali with English subtitles
Release Date: 1996
Runtime: 60 minutes
Director: Tanvir Mokammel (Bangladesh)
The Unknown Bird is a biographical documentary about Lalan, who composed hundreds of memorable songs with excellent lyrics in the Baul style. Lalan’s artistic work is still immensely popular in Bangaldesh and West Bengal of India. Baul’s are troubadours of Bengal, a special sect with mystic songs and inimitable lifestyle.
Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 3:10 PM
A documentary film titled REINVENTING TALIBAN, in English
Release Date: 2003
Runtime: 54 minutes
Director: Sharmeen Obaid
This film is directed by Toronto-based filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid, who despite warnings of danger travelled to northwest Pakistan to make this film. It is a story about the people living in the northwest Pakistan (Peshawar) and their everyday life.
Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 4:30 PM
A feature film titled REUNION (PHIRE DEKHA), in Bengali with English subtitles Runtime: 75 minutes
Writer/Director: Sreelekha Mukherjee
Production: Tara Music TV
Cast: Nima Rahman, Litu Anam and others
Mitali, a Hindu girl who grew up in a small border village of India and Bangladesh, is the main protagonist of this film. One day Mitali disappears and is rescued by a Muslim family where she remains. She marries into a Muslim and after many years of living in a Muslim community, she meets her childhood friend, Rafikul. Their reunion evokes very intense emotions, a mix of joy and sorrow.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - 12:00 PM
A feature film titled WHEEL CHAIR, in Bengali with English subtitles
Release Date: 1994
Runtime: 118 minutes
Writer/Director: Tapan Sinha
Cast: Labani Sarkar, Soumitra Chatterjee, Arjun Chakraborty and others
This award-winning film tells a story of a young girl who escapes a rape attempt but becomes paralyzed from the neck down. As a result, she is admitted to a private nursing home for neurological handicapped patients. During her stay in the nursing home, she meets the young physiotherapist, the owner of the nursing home, whose loving care and inspiration give her courage and strength to survive. She starts a new chapter of her life and becomes the physiotherapist’s wife. This film won several prestigious awards.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - 2:20 PM
A documentary film titled PAINTER RABINDRANATH, in English
Runtime: 49 minutes
Director/Producer: Sukanta Roy
This film depicts the great poet, Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel Prize winner, and his journey of becoming a great painter. The film is set in Santiniketan, known for it’s beautiful landscape and the home of Visvabaharati University.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - 3:10 PM
A short feature film titled THE DELIVERANCE (SADGATI), in Hindi with English subtitles
Release Date: 1981
Runtime: 52 minutes
Writer/Director/Music Composer: Satyajit Ray
Cast: Om Puri, Smita Patil, Richa Mishra, Mohan Agashe, Gita Siddharth and others
The film, based on a short story written by Munshi Premchand, an acclaimed Hindi writer, tells the story of poor villagers who are exploited by the Brahmin caste. Chidananda Das Gupta, a celebrated film critic and filmmaker, said, “[The Deliverance] (Sadgati) is Ray’s angriest film.”
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - 4:20 PM
A feature film titled JOURNEY FOR VICTORY (JOYJATRA), in Bengali with English subtitles
Release Date: 2004
Runtime: 119 minutes
Writer: Amjad Hossain
Writer/Director: Taquir Ahmed
Cast: Bipasa Hayat, Azizul Hakim, Mohfuz Ahmed and others
Two survivors of the Liberation War begin another life in a small boat on the waters of Bangali and Jamuna rivers. Their journey turns into a search for victory and freedom.
Ticket Information:
$60 2- Day Sponsorship Festival Pass (admission for 2 adults and tax receipt as applicable)
$40 1-Day Sponsorship Festival Pass (admission for 2 adults and tax receipt as applicable)
$25 1-Day Festival Pass (per person)
$10 1-Session Ticket (per person)
Free rush seats for students with valid student ID, on both days.
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