Dhaka University Film Society

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Dhaka University Film Society
AbbreviationDUFS
Formation1991; 33 years ago (1991)
TypeVoluntary Students' Organization
Legal statusRegistered
PurposeEntertainment, film movement, film screening
HeadquartersTSC,(2nd Floor), University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Location
  • TSC, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served
Bangladesh
Membership
Reserved for Dhaka University Students
Official language
Bengali, English
President General Secretary
Teertha Protim Das
Nisath Salsabil Rob
Main organ
Executive Committee
Parent organization
Dhaka University Central Students' Union
AffiliationsFederation of Film Societies of Bangladesh
Volunteers
Around 150
Websitewww.dufs.org

Dhaka University Film Society (in short DUFS) is a voluntary organization affiliated with the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) at University of Dhaka. It is registered under the Film Societies Act 2011 and a member of Federation of Film Societies, Bangladesh (FFSB). DUFS is also registered with the Bangladesh Film Censor Board. DUFS started its journey in 1962 during the Film Society Movement. Since then, the organization’s main mission remains the same, which is to create viewers of good movies with adequate taste. The organization had started its journey with the motto, 'Better Film, Better Viewers'. It took three decades of consistent performance and unremitting handwork of hundreds of film enthusiasts to reach DUFS’s present glorious position.

Activities

As a part of its mission, DUFS have successfully organized many film oriented programs such as: film festivals, appreciation courses, seminars, workshops, rallies, retrospectives and so on. World Film Manifestation Programme (WFMP) is one of its successful programs with over 400 movie screenings. Some of the major regular festivals of DUFS are 'Amar Bhashar Chalachchitra’, 'International Inter University Short Film Festival’, 'Film for Freshers', ‘World Film Manifestation Program’ and ‘Women's lens film Festival’. Beside these, DUFS has been publishing its official publication Flashback for the past 20 years.

World Film Manifestation Program

World Film Manifestation Program, commonly known as WFMP, is a monthly film screening by DUFS at different cultural centers such as the Goethe-Institut Dhaka and the Alliance Française de Dhaka among others. WFMP's main objective is to introduce classic and contemporary films to film society members. The program is open for all.

DUFS recently organized the 130th edition of WFMP, WFMP on Remembering Agnès Varda at Alliance Française de Dhaka on 22–13 July 2019. 4 films by the French new wave filmmaker were screened.

La Pointe Courte (1955), Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962), Le Bonheur (1965), Vegabond (1985)

The program was started as a "viewer's forum" in June 1998 at the Goethe-Institute Dhaka. The first session was open to everyone. In the next two years, fourteen more sessions were held in different cultural centers in Dhaka. After various sessions, the initiative was renamed as World Film Manifestation Program (WFMP).

The first 1st WFMP session was held in September 2000 at the Goethe-Institute Dhaka.

Flashback

Flashback is the official publication of DUFS. It is published annually for more than fourteen years. The publication is about specific topics in the

Independent Film was published in November 2018. Some issues of the publication included articles about films from Latin America and those from the Far East. One Flashback was centered around Rabindranath Tagore in remembrance of his 150th birth anniversary.[1]

Study circle

The study circle is a weekly program for members moderated by the study circle secretary. The circle discusses a pre-selected topic relevant to films. Study circles are moderated by an expert facilitator on the selected topic. The study circle sessions are open for all.

Others

DUFS regularly organizes film workshops, film orientation courses, and film appreciation courses. The 7th film workshop organized by DUFS was held on 25 July to 9 August. Two short films were produced through the workshop. Film Orientation Courses are designed towards enabling the new members to learn basic knowledge about film viewing and making. Appreciation courses are designed to guide the standard film viewer towards a more insightful understanding of cinema.

DUFS has a library for its members. The library has a rich collection of books on cinema. Members can books and newspapers at the DUFS room.

Besides all these, DUFS organizes a number of film screening sessions throughout the year, often in collaboration with other film societies and cultural centers. "Sunday German-Bangla Film Screening" is held every last Sunday of each month, where one German and one Bengali movie is shown at the Goethe Institute.

Festivals

TSC Auditorim

Dhaka University Film Society organized more than thirty major film festivals so far. It has been playing an active as a cultural organization at the university and the country as well.

Amar Bhasar Chalachitra (Films in my language) is an annual film festival organized by DUFS at the TSC complex. The festival is held every February month in remembrance of the martyrs of the

Bengali Language Movement. DUFS organized the 20th edition of the Festival, 'Amar Bhasar Chalachitra 1428' on 22-26 February 2022. The festival was first held in 2004. It is now recognized as the biggest film festival in the Bengali language. The highest grossing Bangladeshi film of all time Priyotoma was screened at the 22nd Amar Bashar Chalachitra festival under the theme of Amar Bhashar Chalachitra Utshab 1430 organized by the Dhaka University Film Society on February 14, 2024 on the occasion of Valentine's Day.[2][3]

International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) is an annual film festival organized by DUFS. It has been running for over a decade with the slogan "Take your camera, frame your dream". Its goal is to create a cross-cultural platform for university-going filmmakers all over the world. DUFS has recently organized the 11th edition of IIUSFF, in association with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 1401 short films from more than 90 countries were submitted. Since 10th IIUSFF a new category, 'Short films on refugee' has been introduced to address the refugee crisis around the globe.

'Short film festival on cultural diversity and peace' was introduced in 2019. DUFS and Actionaid Bangladesh jointly organized the event to promote cultural diversity and peace.

Film for Freshers is the yearly film screening for the university freshers. It is open to all freshers. Boichitre Jibon (Diversity is Life) is jointly organized by Dhaka University Film Society and National Disabled Forum, in association with Sightsavers in 2010 and 2013.[4]

The major festivals organized by DUFS at the TSC auditorium,

Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium and at different cultural centers in Dhaka are as follows.[5]

Year Name Date Venue Number of Film Screening Types of Film
1994 First National Film Festival Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Public Library Bangladeshi Cinema
1996 চলচ্চিত্র শতবর্ষ উৎসব TSC auditorium and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Auditorium
1998 Science Fiction Film Week Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Public Library Science fiction film
HELP: the Flood Victims Various films to help
flood
victims
1999 War Film Week War film
Oscar Film Week Oscar-winning films
2000 Film for Freshers TSC auditorium 6 Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
Comedy Film Week 1–7 October Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Public Library 25 Classic and modern
comedy films
2001 Film for Freshers TSC auditorium Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
2002 Week on Film Classics Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Public Library Classic films from all over the world
ভাষা আন্দোলনের ৫০ বছরঃ চলচ্চিত্রে বাংলার মুখ (50 years of language movement:Bengali in films) TSC auditorium 15 Bangladeshi cinema
2003 Film for Freshers Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
সত্যজিতের চলচ্চিত্র (Film of Satyajit)[6] 21 Film of Satyajit
2004 বাংলা চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব (Bengali Film Festival) 11–18 May 28 Bengali films from both Bangladesh and India
2005 বাংলার ছবি (Film of Bengal) Bangladeshi cinema
Film for Freshers Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
Animation Film Festival 28 November–2 December
Animation film
2006 50 years of Bangladeshi Film Bangladeshi cinema
Film for Freshers Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
2007 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র (Amar Vashar Cholochitro) 24–28 February 20 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and India
ক্যামেরা যখন রাইফেল (When camera is rifle)
অপরাজিত (Unbeaten) Various film to help the Cyclone Sidr survivors
International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF)[6]
Goethe Institute Dhaka
International short film competition for university students.
2008 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র (Amar Vashar Cholochitro) 22–28 February TSC auditorium 28 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
Film for Freshers 18–21 August 12 Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
2nd International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 21–23 April Goethe Institute Dhaka International short film competition for university students.
2009 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র (Amar Vashar Cholochitro) 13–18 February TSC auditorium 24 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
Film for Freshers 5–7 May 12 Various films for freshers of Dhaka University
3rd International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 25–26 May Goethe Institute Dhaka International short film competition for university students.
Disaster Risk Reduction Film Festival (Bengali: দুর্যোগ প্রস্তুতি বিষয়ক চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব) Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Public Library Disaster related films
2010 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪১৬ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1416) 22–28 February TSC auditorium Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
4th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 24–28 April TSC auditorium and Goethe Institute Dhaka International short film competition for university students.
বৈচিত্র্যে জীবন (Diversity of life) 4–8 December TSC auditorium 34 First national disability related film festival
2011 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪১৭ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1417) 24–28 February 20 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
ছায়াচিত্রে রবীন্দ্রনাথ (Rabindranath in Films) Films based on Rabindranath Tagore works
5th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 15–19 May Goethe Institute Dhaka International short film competition for university students.
2012 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪১৮ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1418) 23–28 February TSC auditorium 19 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
চলচ্চিত্রে হুমায়ুন আহমেদ (Humayun Ahmed in Films) 24–26 September 9 In remembrance of late novelist and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed[7]
2013 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪১৯ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1419) 23–28 February 23 Bengali film from both Bangladesh West Bengal
Film for Freshers 19–22 May 12 [8] Various films for freshers of Dhaka University freshers.
6th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) Goethe Institute Dhaka International short film competition for university students.
বৈচিত্র্যে জীবন (Diversity of life) 9–11 December TSC auditorium 12 [4] Second national disability related film festival
2014 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪২০ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1420) 22–27 February 24 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
Animation Film Festival 3–9 November 18
Animation film
2015 7th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 26–28 January 45 International short film competition for university students.
আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪২১ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1421) 23–28 February[9] 24[9] Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
Film for Freshers 17-18 August TSC auditorium 9 Various films for freshers of Dhaka University freshers.
2016 8th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) TSC auditorium

Alliance Française de Dhaka

Alliance Française de Chittagong

International short film competition for university students.
6th Film Workshop 2016 21 July- 5 August
2017 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪২২ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1422) 10-14 February TSC auditorium 20 Bengali film from both Bangladesh West and Bengal
Animation Film Festival 2017 20-23 March TSC auditorium 15 Animation Films from all over the world
Film Orientation Course 2017 Munir Chowdhury Auditorium, TSC
9th International Inter-University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF) 11 August -14 September TSC auditorium

Alliance Française de Dhaka

Star Cineplex Dhaka

90 International short film competition for university students.
2018 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪২৪ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1424) 12-17 February TSC Auditorium 20 Bengali film from both Bangladesh and West Bengal
10th International Inter-University Short Film Festival 2-4 September TSC auditorium

Alliance Française de Dhaka

Goethe Institut Bangladesh

200 International short film competition for university students.
Film Appreciation Course 2018 10 October-13 October Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Seminar Room
Human Rights Short Film Festival 08-9 December Bangladesh Shishu Academy Complex 60 The theme of this film festival is “Finding Bangladesh and South Asia in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 70 years later”.
2019 আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র-১৪২৫ (Amar Vashar Cholochitro-1425) 10-14 February TSC auditorium 17 Bengali film from both Bangladesh West and Bengal
11th International Inter-University Short Film Festival 29-31 July TSC auditorium

Alliance Française de Dhaka

Goethe Institut Bangladesh

200 International short film competition for university students.
7th Film Workshop 25 July- 9 August CARASS Auditorium
Short Film Festival on Cultural Diversity and Peace 08-9 September TSC auditorium 50 Short film festival to promote cultural diversity and peace.

Membership

New members are admitted in the society in April each year. Only fresher students of Dhaka University are eligible to apply for membership. After an initial screening process, viva-voce (oral interview) is held to select the few successful (around forty) candidates for admission. At present, there are 227 members of whom thirty-three are executive members and others are general members. The current president is Teertha Protim Das; the general secretary is Nisath Salsabil Rob.

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dhaka University Film Society --Better films, better viewers". New Age. 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  2. ^ "সকালে 'ঘুড্ডি', সন্ধ্যায় 'প্রিয়তমা'". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  3. ^ "ভালোবাসার দিনে টিএসসিতে 'প্রিয়তমা' সহ চার ছবি". চ্যানেল আই অনলাইন. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  4. ^ a b "Film fest on disability ends today". New Age. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  5. ^ "A BRIEF HISTORY OF DUFS". Archived from the original on 27 December 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Dhaka University Film Society: A hub for young cine-enthusiasts". The Daily Star. 22 November 2007. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  7. ^ হুমায়ূনের সিনেমা নিয়ে উৎসব করছে ঢাবি চলচ্চিত্র সংসদ [Festival arranged by DU Film Society with Humayun]. khunanews.com (in Bengali). 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  8. ^ ঢাবি চলচ্চিত্র সংসদের উদ্যোগে ৪ দিনব্যাপী চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব শুরু [4 days long film festival organized by Dhaka University Film Society begins]. education24news.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b আমার ভাষার চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব শুরু [Amar Vashar Cholochitro festival begins]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Dhaka. 24 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.