News desk:
The 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival began at the auditorium of National Museum at Shahbagh in Dhaka with a Chinese film titled Moon Man on Saturday.
Organised by the Rainbow Film Society, this year the Wide Angle section is featuring 15 Chinese films, celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China.
Selected Chinese cinema posters are also displayed at the museum as a part of the festival.
Inaugurated by information and broadcasting adviser Mohammad Nahid Islam, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and international department director of the China film administration Shu Ya, among others, attended the inaugural ceremony as special guests.
Nahid Islam said that the festival created an opportunity for the audience to experience international standard films and inspire those who were involved in the film industry.
He also urged the filmmakers to make films about the recent student-led July-August uprising.
The festival’s executive committee member Jalal Ahmed said that the ministry must allocate a fixed funding for film festivals in budget, which would help to organise festivals every year.
The opening ceremony also included a musical performance of popular folk-fusion band Joler Gaan.
The 11th women filmmaker conference, a section of the festival, will be inaugurated by vice-chancellor of Central Women’s University Parvin Hasan on Dhaka Club premise today.
The festival is featuring 220 films from 74 countries, including 44 films from Bangladesh. It will end on January 19.
