Kolkata: May 02, 2022

 

The restored Satyajit Ray film ‘Pratidwandi’ is to be screened at Cannes Film Festival which is opening on 18 May 2022. Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Chairman, SRFTI Society stated this today. Shri Chandra informed that, the National Film Archives of Pune has been working extensively to restore the films of the maestro Satyajit Ray. He was addressing the gathering after unveiling a life-size bronze sculpture of the cine maestro Satyajit Ray in SRFTI campus. The sculpture was conceived and executed by a young artist, Arnab Gan Chowdhury. An expert committee comprising eminent artists and scholars supervised the task and completed the work on time.

Besides, a Ray Renaissance Art Gallery has opened in the campus of Satyait Ray Film and Television Institute at Kolkata. The Secretary inaugurated the Ray Renaissance Art Gallery along with Academy Award winner Resul Pookutty in memory of Ray on his birth anniversary, 2nd May.

The Gallery has an exhibition of Ray's own works.  Not only was he a celebrated filmmaker, Satyajit Ray was also a masterful graphic designer. He had started his journey as a graphic illustrator in a pioneering advertising agency. His works include book covers, film posters, advertisement contents and even a font, Ray Roman. Over the course of time the Gallery will host exhibitions on painting, photography, illustration, sculpture and other creative installations. It will also be a centre of attraction for thinking minds, boosting creative expression and interaction.

Later addressing the 11^th Convocation of SRFTI Shri Chandra said although Covid has been hard on us, it has opened immense opportunities to OTT platforms in terms content generation. Speaking as the Chief Guest, he said, Indian content is now available around the world just as global content can now be viewed sitting at home. He added that thanks to OTT audiences in North India can now see South Indian and Bengali films. This has created a new bonding.

As Guests of Honour were Shri Resul Pookutty, renowned sound technician and winner of the Academy Award  for the Best Sound Mixing who delivered the Convocation valedictory speech and Shri Varun Chanda, renowned actor, famous for his iconic role in the film SEEMABADDHA directed by Ray.

PG Diploma was conferred on a total of 79 students of the 14th batch of Film wing & 2nd batch of EDM wing. They include 54 from Film wing, 4 from Animation Cinema and 21 from EDM.

Every year on 2nd May---Satyajit Ray’s birthday--- the Institute celebrates the occasion with a Convocation as a befitting tribute to the Great Master by introducing a new crop of young filmmakers to the world.

The Award ceremony of Satyajit Ray Centenary Student's Short Film Competition on the theme Realism was also held with 69 films from different national and international film schools.

The results had been announced by renowned actor Shri Dhritiman Chaterjee during the 6th CLAPSTICK International Students Film Festival held from 25-27 March 2022.  26 films from 14 international schools were received for the International category, and 40 films from 26 Indian schools were received for the National category.

The best film under the International category is A SWEDISH DEFENCE, directed by Simon Elvås, from Stockholm University of the Arts.

The Best film under National category is SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, directed by Rishaya Palkhivala from National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad.

The awardees were presented a trophy, certificate and prize amount of INR 1.00 Lakh at the hands of Shri Chandra in the presence of Shri Resul Pookutty and Shri Varun Chanda.

Shri Chandra also visited the residence of Ray near Nandan during his day-long visit to Kolkata.

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