Mrinal Sen was a Bengali film director and screenwriter known for his work primarily in Bengali, and a few Hindi and Telugu language films. Regarded as one of the finest Indian filmmakers, along with his contemporaries Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, and Tapan Sinha, Sen played a major role in the New Wave cinema of eastern India.
Aparna Sen is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actress who is known for her work in Bengali cinema. She has received several accolades as an actress and filmmaker, including nine National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards East and thirteen Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. For her contribution in the field of arts, the Government of India honoured her with Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award.
Tapan Sinha was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time forming a legendary quartet with Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. He was primarily a Bengali filmmaker who worked both in Hindi cinema and Bengali cinema, directing films like Kabuliwala (1957), Louha-Kapat, Sagina Mahato (1970), Apanjan (1968), Kshudhita Pashan and children's film Safed Haathi (1978) and Aaj Ka Robinhood. Sinha started his career in 1946, as a sound engineer with New Theatres film production house in Kolkata, then in 1950 left for England where he worked at Pinewood Studios for next two years, before returning home to start his six decade long career in Indian cinema, making films in Bengali, Hindi and Oriya languages, straddling genres from social realism, family drama, labor rights, to children's fantasy films. He was one of the acclaimed filmmakers of Parallel Cinema movement of India.
Nandan is a government-sponsored film and cultural centre in Kolkata, India. The primary aim of the cultural hub is to encourage and facilitate cinematic awareness in society. It includes a few comparatively large screens housed in an impressively architectured building. The complex, besides being a modern cinema and cultural complex, is a popular destination for the young and the aged alike.
Atanu Ghosh Ghosh is a National-Award-winning Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, author and teacher. His Bengali film Mayurakshi (2017) was awarded the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali. His film Shesh Pata, Angshumaner Chhobi, Mayurakshi, Binisutoy, Abby Sen and Rupkatha Noy, bagged multiple awards.Atanu started his career as a scriptwriter and director for documentary films in 1996. For his work in Aar Ek Bampi, he received the Doordarshan National Award for Best Children's Telefilm.
Anup Ghoshal was an Indian playback singer and composer in Hindi and other vernacular Indian films, especially Bengali-language. He was known in his native Bengal primarily as one of the foremost artists of the golden age of Nazrulgeeti.
Teenkahon is a 2014 Psychological mystery-thriller Bengali film directed by Bauddhayan Mukherji and produced by Monalisa Mukherji under the banner of Little Lamb Films.
Sudeshna Roy is an Indian film director, actor and writer based in Tollywood. She started her career as an entertainment journalist before collaborating with the director Abhijit Guha and foraying into the film industry. She is a popular artist in the Bangla Entertainment Industry. Besides directing films, she acted in several films, daily soaps and web series. The duo debuted with their first film Shudhu Tumi, and then they made several films in varied genres. However, they are known to make urban middle-class romantic comedy films. They worked with Abir Chatterjee, who debuted in their film Cross Connection in 2009. They came into prominence after their critically acclaimed film Teen Yaari Kotha. Teen Yaari Katha was showcased in the competition section of Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema in 2012. It travelled to the Bangkok International Film as well as Kolkata International Film Festival. Their film Bapi bari jaa is considered a cult classic among the Bangla film lovers. It also marked the debut of Arjun Chakraborty and MP Mimi Chakraborty in the Bangla film industry.
Sahaj Paather Gappo is a Bengali film directed by Manas Mukul Pal and produced by Avijit Saha. The film is based on the short story by famous writer Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. The music was done by Chandradip Goswami and Indraadip Dasgupta.
Indrasis Acharya is an Indian film director working in Bengali cinema. He came to the prominence after directing his first feature film, Bilu Rakkhosh which won acclaim in both national and international sphere. Indrasis next worked in Pupa which got rave reviews and won many awards and accolades including All India Critic Choice Award for Best Bengali film of 2018. It was in Hanoi international, Kolkata international film festivals and many more. Pupa won multiple awards and accolades around the globe including, Best Director and Best film awards. His third film was The Parcel for which he won the Best Director award at the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival.
West Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards commonly referred as WBFJA Awards, is given by The West Bengal Film Journalists' Association. The association was founded in 2013 in Kolkata. The award show is called Cinemar Somaborton.
The 25th Kolkata International Film Festival took place from 8 to 15 November 2019.
The 26th Kolkata International Film Festival took place from 8 to 15 January 2021. It was scheduled to take place from 5 to 12 November 2020 but was postponed to January 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic in India.
The 24th Kolkata International Film Festival took place from 10 Nov 2018 – 17 Nov 2018. Celebrating 100 Years of Bengali cinema, Around 171 films and 150 short and documentary films from 70 countries was screened at the festival.
Eewai is a 2022 non-feature Manipuri film directed by Khwairakpam Bishwamittra. It is produced by Samir Thingbaijam under the banner of Nongdol Mamikol. The film stars Leishangthem Tonthoi in the lead role. It was premiered at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Imphal on 26 June 2022. The film got official selections at the 4th Nepal Cultural International Film Festival 2022, Druk International Film Festival 2022 (Bhutan), Festivus Film Fest Canada 2022, Dadashaheb Phalke International Film Festival India 2023 and Gangtok International Film Festival 2022.
Jhilli (transl. Discards) is a Bengali language film written and directed by Ishaan Ghose in 2021 and produced by Goutam Ghose Associates. The film is about a boy named Bokul who resolves to make changes in his life after realizing that most of his friends are leaving him behind in the debris of discards.
The 28th Kolkata International Film Festival was held from 15th to 22nd December 2022 at Netaji Indoor Stadium, in Kolkata, India. The festival opened with 1973 film Abhimaan, by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. 183 films including 130 feature films and 52 short and documentary films from 42 countries were screened during 7 days of the festival. The opening ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Mahesh Bhatt and cricketer Sourav Ganguly.
Kura Pokkhir Shunne Ura is a 2022 Bangladeshi art film produced, written and directed by Muhammad Quayum. The film features Jayita Mahalanbish and Ujjal Kabir Himu in lead roles.
The 29th Kolkata International Film Festival began on 5 December 2023 at Netaji Indoor Stadium, in Kolkata, India. A 1963 romantic comedy Bengali film Deya Neya by Sunil Bannerjee opened the festival, which screened 219 films from 39 countries. Spain and Australia were country of focus in this edition of the festival. The opening ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha, Mahesh Bhatt and cricketer Sourav Ganguly among others.
Abhinandan Banerjee is an Indian film director, scriptwriter, author, essayist, magazine editor, publisher, illustrator, painter and graphic designer. His debut feature The Cloud and the Man, which premiered at the 25th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, 2021 won the NETPAC award for Best Asian Film, at the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival.
