Pol docus on B’desh, Myanmar & Pak find place in city film fest
Times of India | 3 March 2025
12 Kolkata: The names of three compelling documentaries addressing issues in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar were announced last week in the programming list of a film festival scheduled in the city in March. Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, who was amon- gst the Bengali intellectuals killed during the 1971 Dhaka University massacre on the night of March 25, 1971, is the focal point of a Bangladeshi documentary featured in the South East Asia segment.
Dwaipayan Banerjee, founding member of People's Film Collective that is organising the 11th Kolkata People's Film Festival, told TOI that being solely agenda-driven is not the criterion for selection. "From amongst 2,000 submissions, we select only those that are cinematic and demonstrate innovation in their artistic expression. Regarding documentaries, we expect them to engage with issues such as class, caste, gender, anti-authoritarianism and LGBTQ issues. In the current situation of Bangladesh, we think it is very important to remember what happened to Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta. That is why we selected ‘The Professor'," Banerjee said.
Speaking about the backdrop of his documentary, ‘The Professor' director Sandip Kumar Mistry reminded that victory was achieved through many sacrifices. "The Pakistani army killed people indiscriminately. They selectively killed teachers and intellectuals to cripple us intellectually. Professor Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, the then teacher of Dhaka University, became the cruel victim of this conspiracy. His exemplary life makes it easy to comprehend his remarkable contribution towards nation-building," Mistry said. He added that Bangladesh is experiencing a ‘political imbalance". "We know that the history of independence can be our inspiration at the critical juncture of the country. However, the sad thing is that a group of people in Bangladesh are trying to suppress the history of 1971. That can be suicidal for us. The more the younger generation embraces the spirit of Liberation War, the more they will be capable of cherishing the country and its people. And for this, documentaries like ‘The Professor' should be produced more frequently."
Mistry is looking forward to the Kolkata screening. "We have an idealistic relationship with West Bengal. I never consider the two Bengals as separate. The history of our Bengal is also relevant for the people of West Bengal."
This is the fourth time a film from Myanmar is at the festival. "The circumstances are so dire that the director must remain anonymous," Banerjee said. ‘Comrade Poopy', the docu from Myanmar, portrays a travel blogger and her husband who sought refuge after protests against the 2021 military coup. They find comfort in a newly adopted kitten, Poopy. Greek director Thomas Sideris' ‘Gas Station or the Pigeons of Lahore' is about the sufferings of Pakistani migrants in his country.