Iranian film 'Elders' wins ‘Best of the Fest award’ at Global Youth Film Festival

The 5th installment of the Global Youth Film Festival concluded in Natore on December 28. With the slogan 'Let's Cinema!' the three-day event was initiated by Youth Film Association Cinema Bangladesh. Natore Film Club is the local organiser of the event.

The festival, which began on December 26 at the city's district council auditorium, showcased 71 films from 31 countries. 1,480 films from 101 different countries were submitted by emerging filmmakers.

At the closing ceremony, best films and other awards were presented by noted filmmakers Gias Uddin Selim, member of International Federation of Film Critics, Editor of Showtime, Dhaka Tribune, Sadia Khalid, and filmmaker Proshoon Rahmaan.

Poster of 'Elders'

The Iraninan film "Elders" won the 'Best of the Fest Award' at the event, while Chinese filmmaker Li Bo, won the best director award. On the other hand, Best Animation was awarded to German animation production Lilith Jorg's "Take Heart". Indian documentary film "Rohingya" bagged the Best Documentary Award. Fuaduzzaman Fuad's "Home in Sound" won the award for Best Bangladeshi Film in the National category. Layek Ahmed Plavan was selected as the Tareque Masud Memorial Award for Best Bangladeshi Director for his film "Ekjon Ishshorer Golpo". The Best Bangladeshi Actor Award was won by Mustafizur Nur Imran for his film "Dream of Moyna".

Three films were screened at this year's festival, paying homage to the memory of the late Hasan Azizul Haque. The films were Akram Khan's "Khacha", Proshoon Rahmaan's documentary "Ei Puraton Akhorguli" and Ahsan Kabir Liton's "Golpoloker Chitrokor". All the films were based on Haque's life and work.  

The film, "Chandraboti Kotha", directed by N Rashed Chowdhury, had a special screening at the festival.

This year's event concluded with an exhibition of award-winning films. According to the festival director Jisan Mahadi, the sixth edition of the Global Youth Film Festival will be held in Cox's Bazar in December 2022.