Young filmmakers demand forming independent film commission

Young filmmakers have demanded forming an independent film commission for allowing all to produce cinemas independently to depict the picture of the masses.

They also demanded that they don’t want to remain confined into glass house through politics in the cultural arena as such atmosphere was created by the autocratic regime of Hasina.

The young film directors came up with the demands in a open discussion on “Cultural Politics, centering film” under the arrangement of a 2024 revolution review platform “July Gonoporishar” at the National Museum main auditorium in the capital’s Shahbagh on Friday.

Filmmaker Kamar Ahmad Simon moderated the discussion while nine young filmmakers gave speeches.

In their speeches, they noted about ill-politics of some of their predecessors and also made self-criticism. Later, a question-answer session was held.

Filmmakers Sumon Rahman, Aung Rakhine, Tasmiah Afrin Mou, Laboni Ashrafi, Sajedul Islam, Mohammad Touqir Islam, Jahin Farooq Amin and Nurul Amin Atiq and Rajshahi University Mass Communication & Journalism Department’s teacher A. Al Mamun spoke on the occasion.

Kamar Ahmad Simon said the fascist Awami League government divided the country into two parts, one-pro-liberation war and the other one on the basis of Islam.

“In the last 15 years, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote had been at the forefront of cultural politics. Spirit of 1971 versus fundamentalism. The artistes’ community was confined into in a glass house. They created a Frankenstein autocratic Hasina government. Isn’t the artistes’ community liable for that?” he said.

In the last 15 years, not a single film was produced which speaks about the people and portrays the picture of society, Simon said.

“We were going through a trauma. Culture of the coming days will be created on the basis of today’s cultural politics,” he said.

Sumon Rahman said film industry was lost to fascism in the last 15 years.

A section of people met the labiality of their slavery by extending support to fascism, he said adding on the other hand those who joined the 2024 mass-upsurge is now paying back their political liabilities.

Aung Rakhine said film is one of weapons to change society. ‘We have anger over the state system. Filmmakers are minorities. In the last 15-20 years, no quality films were produced. It is very unfortunate,” he said.

He also noted many problems of the hill tracts. (BSS)