It is all about movies

Apart from a preservation of 2,169 films in its vaults and 3,053 books, 14,575 photographs, 6,677 posters, 1,986 screenplays, 9,950 film journals and other film related objects and documents in its library, Bangladesh Film Archive (BFA) has set a new record for itself by publishing an annual journal focusing on film and film-related issues.
The first issue published in 2008 included eight articles, an interview and a film script. The second issue published very recently encompasses eleven articles, one interview and one film script. Both the issues have been able to include one writing each from West Bengal, India. The Indian contributors are Someshwar Bhowmick, research scientist of St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, and Partha Raha, Curator of Cinema Centenary Bhaban, West Bengal. Such inclusion will surely make the magazine rich in content and in a multiculturalism point of view.
Most of the essays included in the volumes are by people who are somewhat authorities in this field. Essays on the films of Satyajit Roy by Nadir Zunayed and on background music by Syed Babab Ali Arzu in the first issue draw attention as do essays on censorship in films by Jamil Osman. Zahir Raihan's Films by Ahmed Aminul Islam in the second issue comes to readers' attention. Saibal Chowdhury has written elaborately on Dhrupodi, the cine magazine of the country.
Four films that have been meticulously reviewed in the issues are Antorjatra, Nirontor, Suryokonya and Chitra Nodir Pare. These highly acclaimed films have been focused on in detail from many aspects in the articles. It will surely help general film watchers to understand them in a more pragmatic way. These reviews, by Khondakar Shakhawat Ali, Prof Shahin Kabir, Bidhan Riberu and Ashrafi Binte Akram, are worth mentioning.
English language articles included in the second issue are 'Initiation into Film Making in Bangladesh: From Past to Present' by Muhammad Sajjad Ahsan and 'Reading Colours in Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colours Trilogy' by Humayun Farid. The two writers should be given special thanks as these will pave the way for writing in English on films in the country. Such English writings will help us place our knowledge of films in a broader perspective.
Dr. Sajedul Awwal, executive editor of the journal, has enriched the issues through his interview of Baby Islam, the camera artist, and Subhash Dutta, the film director. The tête-à-tête has brought to light many of the unseen or less seen facets of the film domain in Bangladesh.
The issues have included articles by Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Hossain. 'Jatiyo Smriti Songrokkhone Cholochitro Sangrahasalar Bhumika' (Role of Film Archive in Preserving National Memorials) and 'Bangladesh Film Archiver Samprotik Karjokrom' (Recent Activities of Bangladesh Film Archive) are well written, with a plethora of information.
We are hopeful that film researchers and all professionals involved in filmdom in Bangladesh and outside the country will feel interested in contributing to these journals. The two English articles included in the second issue will open up a wider horizon for readers of the journal.

Subrata Kumar Das is a teacher and essayist.