Global Youth Film Festival Rangpur, organized by Cinema Bangladesh, ended in Rangpur on Saturday. The dazzling event came to its conclusion with an award ceremony where the Iranian documentary film “Affidavy for Khanali” won the grand title Best of the Fest.
The event running from September 27-29 received 57 films from 31 countries in the competition segment and the best 10 films were showcased at the festival at the Town Hall in Rangpur city. Veteran filmmaker Morshedul Islam, Fipresci (International Federation of Film Critics) member Sadia Khalid, filmmaker Jasim Ahmed, and Rangpur District Council Chairman Advocate Shafia Khanam handed out the prizes to the winners at the closing ceremony on September 29.
The festival’s grand prize “Best of the Fest” title went to Iranian documentary “Affidavy for Khanali.”
The Best Director award went to Lorenzo Mannino for his film “Where There Is Too Much Light” while “Bystander,” the eight-minute animation film, was awarded as the Best Animation Film.
The jury members of GYFFR’s international categories were filmmaker Golam Rabbani, Fipresci member Sadia Khalid and renowned filmmaker Mahde Hasan.
“Hiralal Sen - Best Bangladeshi Film” award went to Debraj Deb’s “Mormontod” and the Khalil Ullah Khan “Best Bangladeshi Actor” title went to Mizanur Rahman for his role in the film "Parapar Courier Service." “Bhuban Majhi” director Fakhrul Arefeen Khan, actor Meher Afroz Shaon and director Jasim Ahmed were the jury members of this category.
The festival received a total of 1270 films from 101 countries.
The festival also hosted international standard film-making workshops coordinated by 50 film-makers both from home and abroad including renowned film-makers Proshoon Rahman and Golam Rabbani Biplab, Fipresci member Sadia Khalid, and producer Arifur Rahman.
Cinema Bangladesh’s General Secretary Jisan Mahadi said in a recent press statement: “This is our organization’s second event after successfully organizing a festival in Lakshmipur. The organization is also planning to take this event to different regions of the country in the coming years.”
