An international film festival kicked off in this Bangladeshi capital Wednesday even as enthusiasts pointed to the waning popularity of Bangla movies.
A total of 115 films from 41 countries will be screened during the fortnight-long festival that began at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium with the slogan "Films For Everyone".
Bangladesh Prime Minster Khaleda Zia inaugurated the 2nd International Film Festival of Bangladesh urging filmmakers to put a stop to vulgarism and obscenity in Bangla movies.
The Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies is organising the festival with the assistance of the International Federation of Film Societies.
India has the largest number of 26 movies at the event followed by 25 from the host country. Indian movies mostly include commercial films.
The US, Britain, Spain, Norway, Sri Lanka, China, Italy, Hungary, Australia and Nepal are also taking part.
At least 48 movies that won international awards will be screened during the festival.
The movies are divided in eight categories - international showcase, retrospective, tribute, special presentation, Bangladesh panorama, Bangla showcase, popular showcase and children's showcase.
They will be screened in movie theatres and auditoriums in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chittagong, Khulna, Rahshahi, Sylhet and Barisal districts.
Leading Indian film director Rituparno Ghosh, who attended the inauguration, said cinema should be introduced as a subject at the school level in order to make good movies in the long run.
An elderly housewife, Amena Rahman, in Dhaka said she along with other family members would see some of the movies.
"Nowadays we don't think of going to the movie theatre; but if there are good movies, we would like to," Rahman told IANS.
A five-member jury, comprising one member from Bangladesh and two each from Asia and Europe, will judge the prize-winning films.
The best film will be awarded $6,000 while two other films will get $2,000 each.
--Indo-Asian News Service