Latest news with #SRFTI
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
SRFTI alumnus only Indian among 24 emerging Asian filmmakers at Busan
A file photo of Arnab Laha KOLKATA: Arnab Laha has been officially selected as one of the 24 emerging filmmakers from across Asia, out of 40 countries, and will attend the prestigious Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) is the only talent from India to be selected for the festival's prestigious educational programme called CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy. Laha was selected among eight cinematographers from all over Asia and will be shooting one short film that will be screened at BIFF. The intensive 20-day programme will run from Sept 7 to Sept 26. For cine enthusiasts in Kolkata, BIFF is recognised as Asia's largest and most influential film festival and is regarded as one of the six top festivals in the world, alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Toronto. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata This highly competitive fellowship programme is a platform for talented filmmakers to receive mentorship from global industry leaders, collaborate across cultures, and premiere their work on the international stage. The other fellows are from Iran, China, Nepal, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, Lebanon and Pakistan. According to Laha, this selection is a big step forward since it will allow him to deeply understand how filmmakers in South Korea operate—especially in the post-Bong Joon-ho era, when global storytelling standards have risen. 'I'll get to interact with experts, connect with renowned South Asian filmmakers, and gain insights into the Asian film market. This exposure will directly influence my next feature, as I aim to raise the bar for Bengali cinema to meet international standards. As part of BAFA, I'm attending the 'Bridge to Hollywood' workshop with the Motion Picture Association. It offers mentorship from a Hollywood producer and a pitching competition, with a chance to attend film events in the US and Australia,' Laha said. The fellowship will give Laha a 'chance to co-create'. He will be collaborating with an Iranian director to make a five-to-seven-minute short film for an international audience. 'It will premiere at BIFF, giving me a strong platform for global circulation and cultural exchange through cinema,' Laha added. Laha's journey began at St. Xavier's College with a foundation in multimedia and animation before he joined SRFTI's cinematography department. A landmark in his career was serving as the cinematographer for 'The Horse from Heaven', India's official entry to the 95th Academy Awards, Oscars in the Best Live Action Short Film category. His filmography includes 'The Strange Life of Dhrubo' (2025), 'Academy of Fine Arts' (2025), 'Colored Sweets' (2024), 'Horse From Heaven' (2022), and 'Termites' (2021). His cinematography in 'The Strange Life of Dhrubo', which won the Best Film award in the Bengali Panorama segment of KIFF, was lauded by many. Laha thanked his exposure and training at St. Xavier's and SRFTI for shaping him as a multi-disciplinary artist. 'Both institutions shaped me deeply. St Xavier's nurtured my roots in painting and graphic design, and being a topper there gave me the confidence and mentorship to pursue any creative direction. SRFTI provided rigorous training, a treasure of cinema books, and access to great minds like Anil Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, and Sudeep Chatterjee. Together, they helped me grow as a holistic artist, not just a technician,' he said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Purulia girl's tale on Mumbai migrants in competition at Venice film fest
1 2 3 Kolkata: A Purulia girl's film about two migrant women in Mumbai, whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined, is in competition with 18 other feature films in the Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. Anuparna Roy's 'Songs of Forgotten Trees', set in Mumbai, is inspired by the story of her childhood friend from Monpura village in Bengal. The Hindi film, filmed by a cinematographer from Bengal, is competing with Teona Strugar Mitevska's film on Mother Teresa. Roy, whose first short film was shot in Purulia, is also keen showcase the Bengal where she grew up. The film's cinematographer, Debjit Samanta, is from Kolkata. "Sakyadeb Chowdhury from SRFTI is the second unit DOP. They are an integral part of my film. Though my film is set in Mumbai, my childhood experiences of Bengal form the springboard for the script. Growing up as a girl in rural and not elite Bengal, I experienced how institutions from schools to family made gender-based discrimination feel normal. In my village school, boys received books and toys. We girls received rice rations based on our body weight until fourth grade," Roy added. As a child attending Ranipur High School, Roy became friends with a girl named Jhuma Nath. "Our village, Narayanpur, was predominantly inhabited by Rajputs. I met Jhuma in Class V and quickly grew fond of her. However, everything changed when I mentioned her name to my father. The caste divisions were deeply entrenched, even within my own family. Despite being a mining engineer, my father reacted with disapproval upon hearing Jhuma's surname. He mocked me for developing a close friendship with someone from the Nath community," she recalled. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Roy was too young to protest against caste discrimination. "I couldn't understand why my father refused to accept my friendship with her. From the next day, I stopped speaking to her. Jhuma would often approach me and quietly ask why I had changed. I had no answer. Eventually, I learned that she married and would never return to school. My intention was to make a documentary about searching for her, but my proposal was not approved by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT)," she said. For the feature film, Roy developed the concept further. The protagonist is a sex worker and wannabe actor in Mumbai whose sugar daddy provides her with an apartment. She sublets the living room to another migrant woman from north India. "My protagonist clings to memories of a lost girl from her childhood. The memories she shares are drawn from my own recollections of Jhuma. In the film, I use the metaphor of the Hollong tree from Assam, often referred to as the forgotten tree. In the story, it symbolises the girl my protagonist has lost," Roy explained, who worked in the corporate sector while writing this film. The film also explores the platonic relationship the two migrant women share. "It also shows how these two women are stuck in the same routine of a straight, male-dominated society. They are not able to express their true feelings for each other until they clearly see how the world around them is like a closed circle, built and controlled by men. In cinema, we women are rarely seen as we are. Instead, we are often sugar-coated through the male gaze, packaged, labelled, and filtered through imposed political, religious, and social frameworks. My film resists that. It attempts to reclaim the space where women exist not as symbols, metaphors, or vessels of ideologies but as themselves," Roy said. Roy is keen to shoot in Bengal. "My first short film, 'Run To The River', was shot in Bengal. It was made in Purulia's local dialect and won a special jury mention at the festival in Russia's Cheboksary and was at festivals in Stuttgart and London. I am keen to return to shoot in Bengal. But the language will be regional, not one used by the elite Bengali language. It will criticise the urban elite's propaganda on culture, language, and system," she said. Kolkata: A Purulia girl's film about two migrant women in Mumbai, whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined, is in competition with 18 other feature films in the Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. Anuparna Roy's 'Songs of Forgotten Trees', set in Mumbai, is inspired by the story of her childhood friend from Monpura village in Bengal. The Hindi film, filmed by a cinematographer from Bengal, is competing with Teona Strugar Mitevska's film on Mother Teresa. Roy, whose first short film was shot in Purulia, is also keen showcase the Bengal where she grew up. The film's cinematographer, Debjit Samanta, is from Kolkata. "Sakyadeb Chowdhury from SRFTI is the second unit DOP. They are an integral part of my film. Though my film is set in Mumbai, my childhood experiences of Bengal form the springboard for the script. Growing up as a girl in rural and not elite Bengal, I experienced how institutions from schools to family made gender-based discrimination feel normal. In my village school, boys received books and toys. We girls received rice rations based on our body weight until fourth grade," Roy added. As a child attending Ranipur High School, Roy became friends with a girl named Jhuma Nath. "Our village, Narayanpur, was predominantly inhabited by Rajputs. I met Jhuma in Class V and quickly grew fond of her. However, everything changed when I mentioned her name to my father. The caste divisions were deeply entrenched, even within my own family. Despite being a mining engineer, my father reacted with disapproval upon hearing Jhuma's surname. He mocked me for developing a close friendship with someone from the Nath community," she recalled. Roy was too young to protest against caste discrimination. "I couldn't understand why my father refused to accept my friendship with her. From the next day, I stopped speaking to her. Jhuma would often approach me and quietly ask why I had changed. I had no answer. Eventually, I learned that she married and would never return to school. My intention was to make a documentary about searching for her, but my proposal was not approved by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT)," she said. For the feature film, Roy developed the concept further. The protagonist is a sex worker and wannabe actor in Mumbai whose sugar daddy provides her with an apartment. She sublets the living room to another migrant woman from north India. "My protagonist clings to memories of a lost girl from her childhood. The memories she shares are drawn from my own recollections of Jhuma. In the film, I use the metaphor of the Hollong tree from Assam, often referred to as the forgotten tree. In the story, it symbolises the girl my protagonist has lost," Roy explained, who worked in the corporate sector while writing this film. The film also explores the platonic relationship the two migrant women share. "It also shows how these two women are stuck in the same routine of a straight, male-dominated society. They are not able to express their true feelings for each other until they clearly see how the world around them is like a closed circle, built and controlled by men. In cinema, we women are rarely seen as we are. Instead, we are often sugar-coated through the male gaze, packaged, labelled, and filtered through imposed political, religious, and social frameworks. My film resists that. It attempts to reclaim the space where women exist not as symbols, metaphors, or vessels of ideologies but as themselves," Roy said. Roy is keen to shoot in Bengal. "My first short film, 'Run To The River', was shot in Bengal. It was made in Purulia's local dialect and won a special jury mention at the festival in Russia's Cheboksary and was at festivals in Stuttgart and London. I am keen to return to shoot in Bengal. But the language will be regional, not one used by the elite Bengali language. It will criticise the urban elite's propaganda on culture, language, and system," she said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film on Mother Teresa goes to Venice film festival
1 2 Kolkata: A feature film on Mother Teresa, which follows seven consecutive days at a pivotal moment in her life when she decides to leave the Loreto Convent Entally in Kolkata and launch the Missionaries of Charity, has been selected as the opening film of the Orizzonti programme at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. "Mother", directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska and co-produced by a Kolkata-based company helmed by SRFTI's Shaunak Sur and Prateek Bagi, is competing with 18 films in the Orizzonti programme. The unit has thanked the chief minister for providing support for making Kolkata a shooting-friendly destination for international cinema. The last Kolkata film that went to Venice was "Once Upon A Time in Calcutta" in 2021. Set in 1948, "Mother" follows a devout Catholic nun driven by her passion to aid the vulnerable. To pursue her calling, she awaits a response from the Vatican, seeking release from her duties as Mother Superior. But tension mounts when she discovers that the successor she chooses harbours a secret. Like Mother Teresa , the film's director was born in Skopje in North Macedonia. In 2010-2011, she first came to Kolkata after being commissioned a documentary by a European television company. The documentary never happened but the director returned last year to shoot a feature film with Swedish actor Noomi Rapace playing the lead. Others in the cast include Sylvia Hoeks, Nikola Ristanovski, Akshay Kapoor and Amrita Chattopadhyay. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The Kolkata leg of the movie was filmed for 11 days across Howrah Bridge, Bara Bazaar, Kumartuli, Southern Avenue, Kalighat, Ahiritola, and at Loreto Convent and St Mary's School in Entally where Mother Teresa herself once taught. "I was told that filming in India would be chaotic and that we might get only a fraction of what we need. But that was not the case at all. We actually received more support than expected. Kolkata welcomed us with open arms. I already have other stories I would love to shoot here. The city surprised me, moved me, and inspired me," the director said. Bagi recalled how a key scene was shot in Nov 2024 in Mazdoor Pada, a slum in Kolkata. "Just a month later, the entire area was destroyed in a fire. That moment we captured has now become something more than a scene—it is a memory of a place that no longer exists. The film unintentionally became a witness. It preserves something that would otherwise be lost. That is what gives it lasting meaning," Bagi said. Sur debunked the myth about shooting in Kolkata being difficult. "Kolkata is friendly for shooting international cinema. Swarup Biswas of the Federation came down to our sets at Loreto Convent Entally to extend all support. Our Belgian DOP, Virginie Saint Martin, was initially anxious. The working style, the names and roles of crew members, even the gear protocols felt unfamiliar. But after the shoot, she said she'd love to take them back with her for future projects and gifted everyone in her unit a T-shirt that read Merci Beaucoup meaning thanks. A special mention to assistant cinematographer Kenneth Cyrus who held it all together. The support from the chief minister's office, the cops, and the city itself made it all possible. This moment belongs to Kolkata as much as it does to the film," Sur said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film on Mother Teresa goes to Venice international film festival
1 2 Kolkata: A feature film on Mother Teresa, which follows seven consecutive days at a pivotal moment in her life when she decides to leave the Loreto Convent Entally in Kolkata and launch the Missionaries of Charity, has been selected as the opening film of the Orizzonti programme at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. "Mother", directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska and co-produced by a Kolkata-based company helmed by SRFTI's Shaunak Sur and Prateek Bagi, is competing with 18 films in the Orizzonti programme. The unit has thanked the chief minister for providing support for making Kolkata a shooting-friendly destination for international cinema. The last Kolkata film that went to Venice was "Once Upon A Time in Calcutta" in 2021. Set in 1948, "Mother" follows a devout Catholic nun driven by her passion to aid the vulnerable. To pursue her calling, she awaits a response from the Vatican, seeking release from her duties as Mother Superior. But tension mounts when she discovers that the successor she chooses harbours a secret. Like Mother Teresa, the film's director was born in Skopje in North Macedonia. In 2010-2011, she first came to Kolkata after being commissioned a documentary by a European television company. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The documentary never happened but the director returned last year to shoot a feature film with Swedish actor Noomi Rapace playing the lead. Others in the cast include Sylvia Hoeks, Nikola Ristanovski, Akshay Kapoor and Amrita Chattopadhyay. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The Kolkata leg of the movie was filmed for 11 days across Howrah Bridge, Bara Bazaar, Kumartuli, Southern Avenue, Kalighat, Ahiritola, and at Loreto Convent and St Mary's School in Entally where Mother Teresa herself once taught. "I was told that filming in India would be chaotic and that we might get only a fraction of what we need. But that was not the case at all. We actually received more support than expected. Kolkata welcomed us with open arms. I already have other stories I would love to shoot here. The city surprised me, moved me, and inspired me," the director said. Bagi recalled how a key scene was shot in Nov 2024 in Mazdoor Pada, a slum in Kolkata. "Just a month later, the entire area was destroyed in a fire. That moment we captured has now become something more than a scene—it is a memory of a place that no longer exists. The film unintentionally became a witness. It preserves something that would otherwise be lost. That is what gives it lasting meaning," Bagi said. Sur debunked the myth about shooting in Kolkata being difficult. "Kolkata is friendly for shooting international cinema. Swarup Biswas of the Federation came down to our sets at Loreto Convent Entally to extend all support. Our Belgian DOP, Virginie Saint Martin, was initially anxious. The working style, the names and roles of crew members, even the gear protocols felt unfamiliar. But after the shoot, she said she'd love to take them back with her for future projects and gifted everyone in her unit a T-shirt that read Merci Beaucoup meaning thanks. A special mention to assistant cinematographer Kenneth Cyrus who held it all together. The support from the chief minister's office, the cops, and the city itself made it all possible. This moment belongs to Kolkata as much as it does to the film," Sur said. Kolkata: A feature film on Mother Teresa, which follows seven consecutive days at a pivotal moment in her life when she decides to leave the Loreto Convent Entally in Kolkata and launch the Missionaries of Charity, has been selected as the opening film of the Orizzonti programme at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. "Mother", directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska and co-produced by a Kolkata-based company helmed by SRFTI's Shaunak Sur and Prateek Bagi, is competing with 18 films in the Orizzonti programme. The unit has thanked the chief minister for providing support for making Kolkata a shooting-friendly destination for international cinema. The last Kolkata film that went to Venice was "Once Upon A Time in Calcutta" in 2021. Set in 1948, "Mother" follows a devout Catholic nun driven by her passion to aid the vulnerable. To pursue her calling, she awaits a response from the Vatican, seeking release from her duties as Mother Superior. But tension mounts when she discovers that the successor she chooses harbours a secret. Like Mother Teresa, the film's director was born in Skopje in North Macedonia. In 2010-2011, she first came to Kolkata after being commissioned a documentary by a European television company. The documentary never happened but the director returned last year to shoot a feature film with Swedish actor Noomi Rapace playing the lead. Others in the cast include Sylvia Hoeks, Nikola Ristanovski, Akshay Kapoor and Amrita Chattopadhyay. The Kolkata leg of the movie was filmed for 11 days across Howrah Bridge, Bara Bazaar, Kumartuli, Southern Avenue, Kalighat, Ahiritola, and at Loreto Convent and St Mary's School in Entally where Mother Teresa herself once taught. "I was told that filming in India would be chaotic and that we might get only a fraction of what we need. But that was not the case at all. We actually received more support than expected. Kolkata welcomed us with open arms. I already have other stories I would love to shoot here. The city surprised me, moved me, and inspired me," the director said. Bagi recalled how a key scene was shot in Nov 2024 in Mazdoor Pada, a slum in Kolkata. "Just a month later, the entire area was destroyed in a fire. That moment we captured has now become something more than a scene—it is a memory of a place that no longer exists. The film unintentionally became a witness. It preserves something that would otherwise be lost. That is what gives it lasting meaning," Bagi said. Sur debunked the myth about shooting in Kolkata being difficult. "Kolkata is friendly for shooting international cinema. Swarup Biswas of the Federation came down to our sets at Loreto Convent Entally to extend all support. Our Belgian DOP, Virginie Saint Martin, was initially anxious. The working style, the names and roles of crew members, even the gear protocols felt unfamiliar. But after the shoot, she said she'd love to take them back with her for future projects and gifted everyone in her unit a T-shirt that read Merci Beaucoup meaning thanks. A special mention to assistant cinematographer Kenneth Cyrus who held it all together. The support from the chief minister's office, the cops, and the city itself made it all possible. This moment belongs to Kolkata as much as it does to the film," Sur said.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
SRFTI set to start Master's course this session, UG from next year
Kolkata: With SRFTI becoming a 'deemed university', queries about its graduation and post-graduation admissions have been pouring in. The institute announced that the post-graduation courses would begin from this academic session and those taking admission this year would get an MFA (Master in Fine Arts) degree with specialization in 12 courses. Modalities about the introduction of under-graduation courses are being finalized and it will take another year to start it. The institute, which received the 'deemed university' status under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, is eligible to launch doctoral, research and innovative academic programmes. It will have to adhere to UGC norms, NEP 2020 guidelines, participate in NIRF rankings and integrate with Academic Bank of Credits. Currently, SRFTI has two wings—cinema and the electronic and digital media (EDM). While the cinema wing courses follow conventional film academia, EDM focuses on TV, OTT and new media. The EDM wing offers the only course in India that caters to both classical television and emerging OTT platforms. The postgraduate academic programmes in cinema has six specializations—producing for film & television, direction & screenplay writing, cinematography, sound recording & design and editing and animation cinema. The specializations offered in the EDM wing are sound for EDM, direction and producing for EDM, writing for EDM, editing for EDM, cinematography for EDM and EDM management. "The next batch that takes admission in any of these streams will be awarded an MFA degree. Earlier, students would get a diploma for these courses. We will complete all the formalities so that the MFA degree course can be launched this year itself for specialisation in all the 12 courses of the two wings," said Samiran Datta, SRFTI director. The institute has been receiving queries about under-graduate courses and a tentative date for the launch. "There are many modalities to be followed... We need to streamline certain things. We are expecting to start undergraduate degree courses from the next academic year," Datta said.
