Reel tribute for the Bengali bard

All major countries across the world show support for short films through a plethora of competitions and festivals. As part of the centenary year celebrations of Indian cinema, the Film and Technology Institute of India (FTII), Pune, has organised a three-day short film festival.

Kickstarting from January 4 it will go on till January 6 and will showcase 13 short films of 30 minutes each. These films are directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta, who is a prolific filmmaker and a poet. Five of his films have won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. The movies pay homage to Rabindranath Tagore and reinterpret his works.

Stills from the short films on Tagore

Sandeep Chatterjee, Professor of Film Direction, FTII, says, "This is a very rare event where the director himself comes to the campus to show his films and interact with the students. He is also going to answer all the queries."

The short films explore the white space in between the lines of the timeless poems through images, sounds and music. Using minimal dialogues, the films delve into the depths of human mind and the mysteries of human relationships.

The event aims to create awareness about short films, which are often neglected and inspire students to make short films. "As always, we are expecting a very good response from this event and we hope to encourage the students and masses to continue making short films," concludes Chatterjee.

The event is open for all.

Schedule
January 4
10 am to 1 pm
> The Flutist (30 min)
> The Pond (28 min)
> The Dark Maiden (28 min) 3 to 5 pm
> The Station (28 min) and > The Flute (30 min)6 to 8 pm
> The Freedom (28 min)
> Deception (27 min)

January 5
10 am to 1 pm
> A Village (26 min)
> Camellia (27 min)
> The Last Letter (27 min)4 to 7 pm
> The Unexpected Meeting (30 min)
> The Letters (28 min)
> The Mansion (29 min)u00a0

At: FTII Main Theatre, FTII complex, Law College Road.u00a0