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Korean Film Festival 2022 opens
Showcasing the brilliance of globally acclaimed Korean films, the three-day Korean Film Festival 2022 was inaugurated at the National Museum Auditorium in the capital's Shahbagh on Wednesday.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid joined the opening ceremony of the festival organised by the Korean Embassy.
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-Keun and National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman also spoke.
"Bangladesh and South Korea have many similarities in history, tradition and culture. Based on our similarities and strong diplomatic ties, cultural exchange between the two nations can be one of the means of strengthening mutual cooperation. And this festival is a testament to that," Khalid said.
"2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and South Korea. To celebrate the occasion, cultural exchange between the two countries will be increased through special events."
Khalid expressed deep grief over Halloween stampede in Seoul, the capital of South Korea on October 29. A one-minute silence was observed at the ceremony.
Read more: Winners of K-pop contests Dhaka announced
The embassy has selected these five films for this year's festival from various genres of Korean films, including comedy, thriller, action and animation, which will reflect and showcase various aspects of Korean history, society and modern culture.
The festival began with "Escape from Mogadishu" at 6pm after the opening of the festival at the National Museum Auditorium.
Thursday, two movies will be screened at the festival – "Dude in Me" at 2pm and "The Battle of Zangsari" at 5pm. Friday, the festival will screen "Underdog" at 11am and "The Edge of Shadows" at 3pm.
Read more: Bangladeshi food products appreciated at South Korea fair
Makers, lead performer of 'Hawa' served legal notice for 'breaching tobacco control law'
A Supreme Court lawyer Saturday sent a legal notice to the creators and lead performer of the film "Hawa," including director Mejbaur Rahman Sumon and protagonist Chanchal Chowdhury, for "violating tobacco control law."
The film did not show anti-tobacco messages while showcasing smoking as per the rules, Lawyer Jewel Sarkar said in his legal notice.
He sent the notice to the film's director, producer, lead character and chairman of the Censor Board.
Jewel said, "Even though the producer and director of the movie were warned verbally for several days, they did not add anti-tobacco messages in the movie as per the law."
According to the Smoking and Usage of Tobacco Products (Control) Acts 2005 if the story of a movie requires displaying any scene containing the usage of tobacco products, it can be shown by displaying a written warning about the harmful effects of usage of tobacco products.
And a health warning containing "Smoking or consuming tobacco causes death" will have to be displayed in the middle of the screen covering at least one-fifth of the screen, in white letters against a black background, in Bangla.
Also, such health warnings will have to be displayed continuously as long as the scene runs, according to the Act.
In case of a movie showing in a cinema hall which has a scene of usage of tobacco products, a health warning containing "Smoking or consuming tobacco causes death" will have to be displayed in full screen for at least 20 seconds in Bangla before starting the movie, before and after the break and after completion of the movie, the Act says.
A gross violation of law was seen in Hawa where unnecessary smoking scenes were used without any health warning about the dangers of smoking, the notice said.
However, Sumon said: "The issues mentioned here were baseless; those who have watched the movie know it very well."
'Dhaka Classics Japanese Recital' enthrals audience at Japanese mission
As part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Japan, the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka organised the special musical event "Dhaka Classics Japanese Recital" Saturday evening.
Negishi Yuki, a visiting Japanese pianist in London, and Dhaka Classics, an international ensemble of exceptional players in Dhaka under the direction of Kelley Taylor, performed at the classical music event.
The other four performers of Dhaka Classics on the evening were Nakatsuka Miwa (piano), Yebin Yun (piano), Yamada Keisuke (flute) and Yamada Eiji (oboe).
Yuki has established herself as a pianist of poetry, passion, and virtuosity; captivating audiences wherever she performs around the world. She performs at about 30 international concerts in a calendar year and has already performed in more than 500 concerts in the UK alone, many of which were at prestigious festivals and theatres.
At night, Yuki played "Clair de Lune" by Debussy, "Rhapsody in Blue" by Gershwin, and "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
The concert began with the opening remarks of Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, who appreciated cultural exchanges beyond boundaries through music.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, and State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam joined the event as special guests.
Nodame Choir, a Japanese Choir in Dhaka, also performed at the event.
BTS' Jin makes guest appearance at Coldplay concert in Argentina
Jin of the K-pop megaband BTS made a guest appearance at Coldplay's concert in Buenos Aires on Friday (local time) for his first live performance of his solo debut single, "The Astronaut," with the British rock band.
According to music industry sources here, Jin appeared from the opposite side of the main stage after being introduced by the band's vocalist Chris Martin during the show.
The venue was filled with shouts from music fans as soon as the South Korean singer took the stage, with some shocked spectators seen incredulously covering their mouths with their hands.
Clad in jeans, a gray diamond-patterned knit and a matching dark-colored jumper, the BTS vocalist sang a bar of "The Astronaut" with his pink microphone and ran to the center of the stage to hug Martin.
"The Astronaut" is a pop-rock genre song co-written by Coldplay, with the British band also playing on the recording. Jin participated in writing the lyrics, expressing his affection for Army, the global fandom of the K-pop septet.
Jin's deeply sentimental voice accompanied by a calming sound of acoustic guitar and gradual build-up of synth sound creates the mysterious and dreamy mood of the song.
The British band previously collaborated with BTS for a single, "My Universe," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart upon its release in September last year.
"The Astronaut" has sold more than 700,000 copies for a day after it came out at 1 p.m. Friday, Big Hit Music, the agency for BTS, said, quoting data from Hanteo Chart.
It marks a big sales figure for a single-track album.
"The Astronaut" also topped iTunes' top songs chart in 97 countries around the world, including the United States, Britain, Germany and France, as of 9 a.m. Saturday.
The song's music video telling a story of an astronaut who accidentally landed on Earth has also garnered over 17 million views on YouTube as of 2 p.m.
After wrapping up promotional activities for "The Astronaut," Jin is set to temporarily leave the music scene to become the first BTS member to enlist for mandatory military service.) -- Jin of the K-pop megaband BTS made a guest appearance at Coldplay's concert in Buenos Aires on Friday (local time) for his first live performance of his solo debut single, "The Astronaut," with the British rock band.
According to music industry sources here, Jin appeared from the opposite side of the main stage after being introduced by the band's vocalist Chris Martin during the show.
The venue was filled with shouts from music fans as soon as the South Korean singer took the stage, with some shocked spectators seen incredulously covering their mouths with their hands.
Pritom, Shahtaj walk down the aisle
Musician-actor Pritom Hasan and model-actress Shahtaj Monira Hashem tied the knot at a 5-star hotel in Sylhet's Sreemangal Friday.
Although the two had been dating for some time, they managed to keep their relationship a secret.
Actress Sunerah Binte Kamal, a close friend of Pritom and Shahtaj, shared photos from the couple's "Mehendi" event Thursday night on social media, revealing that the couple was getting married.
Pritom shared his wedding photos today on his social media handles.
A popular actress in recent times, Shahtaj started her career through television commercials. Her mainstream acting career began with the telefilm "Masti Unlimited."
"Chinigura Prem" and "Chikon Piner Charger" are some of Shahtaj's most popular works. She has also been praised for her role in the film "Iti, Tomari Dhaka" (Sincerely Yours, Dhaka), Bangladesh's first anthology film.
Pritom is one of the most popular new generation singers and music directors, known for his tracks "Shoroter Shesh Thekey," "Morey Jak," "Ami Amari Moto," "Local Bus," "Beainshab" and more.
As an actor, he garnered critical acclaim for his roles in Nuhash Humayun's short film "700 Taka," Adnan Al Rajeev's web film for Chorki "YouTumor" and a few dramas.
Pritom also acted in several of his music videos, including the much-acclaimed "Morey Jak," "Shoroter Shesh Theke," "Khoka," "Bhenge Porona Ebhabe," and "Jadukor" – the music video where it all began for him and Shahtaj.
He is the youngest son of the late popular Bangladeshi singer Khalid Hasan Milu and the younger brother of singer Protic Hasan.
Stage set for top 7 bands for Mixtape Vol:1 concert
The concert "Mixtape Vol:1" will enthral music lovers with the performance of seven renowned bands – Artcell, Nemesis, Ark, Indalo, Karnival, Ashes, and Highway – this Friday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.
Dhaka Broadcast, a rising entertainment agency, is organising the concert to end the year on a high note.
Also, the organisers said it will be the first one of a series of concerts.
Mixtape Vol:1 is going to be held at ICCB Hall 2 (Pushpoguccho) and the gate will be opened at 2 pm.
Tickets are currently available for purchase for Tk599 each.
Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy to honour three eminent personalities
Celebrating the 18th anniversary of its inauguration, Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy, a traditional culture training centre, is hosting a two-day cultural festival on October 28 and 29 at Small and Cottage Industries Training Institute (SCITI) auditorium, Uttara in the capital.
Marking the occasion, the academy is set to honour three prolific personalities with the Geetanjali Sammanana Padak (Geetanjali Honorary Award) 2022 on October 28, Friday.
The personalities are - eminent educationist Professor Emeritus Arun Kumar Basak, writer Anwara Syed Haq and painter Professor Mohammad Eunus for their important contribution to education, art, literature and culture in Bangladesh.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam will join the event as the chief guest, while Mohammad Habib Hasan, Member of Parliament for Dhaka-18 Constituency, will join as the special guest.
The inaugural day event on Friday will be presided over by eminent educationist and former DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique.
Read: Remembering Tagore, the polymath!
Artists from the Geetanjali Academy of Fine Arts will perform songs, dance, and recitations at the two-day festival.
On Saturday, the closing day of the festival will be joined by Asim Kumar Ukil, Cultural Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League and Member of Parliament from Netrokona-3 Constituency as the chief guest in the discussion seminar, in remembrance of late National Professor Rafiqul Islam, former Adviser of Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy.
Industrialist and Bangladesh Awami League's Secretary of Industry and Commerce Md Siddiqur Rahman will join the ceremony as its special guest, and the event will be presided over by eminent artist Hashem Khan.
In the last 17 years of its glorious journey, the Geetanjali Sammanana Padak was awarded to several eminent personalities including National Professor Kabir Chowdhury, Professor Dr Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, poet Professor Alauddin Al Azan, writer and poet Syed Shamsul Haq, National Professor Mustafa Nurul Islam, Tagore researcher Ahmad Rafiq, Language Soldier Abdul Matin, educationist Dr Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, National Professor Rafiqul Islam, National Professor Anisuzzaman, musician Sudhin Das, cultural personality Kamal Lohani, painter Hashem Khan, litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque, painter Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, writer Rabeya Khatun, cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, poet Asad Chowdhury, rt maestro Rafiqunnabi, playwright Begum Mamtaz Hossain, novelist Selina Hossain, social and cultural personality Sultana Kamal, artist Mustafa Monwar, filmmaker Subhash Dutta, playwright Imdadul Haq Milan, Artist Murtaza Bashir, poet Nirmalendu Goon, cultural personality Mofidul Haque, poet Nurul Huda, painter Monirul Islam, actress Ferdousi Majumdar, thespian Asaduzzaman Noor, cultural personality Nasir Uddin Yusuff, poet Kamal Chowdhury, thespian Ataur Rahman, researcher Muntasir Mamoon, and art maestro Farida Zaman.
'Wolfed Down': One-woman theatrical show memerises Dhaka audience
Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) and Goethe-Institut Bangladesh are hosting the theatrical performance "Wolfed Down" by French puppeteer Laurie Cannac, at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
The theatrical puppetry, presented entirely in English, enthralled the Dhaka audience Wednesday at 7pm, and the first show was held on Tuesday, at 4pm at the same venue.
The theatrical presentation is a "one-woman performance" by Laurie with a varied puppet universe.
The story is based on the popular European fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" by the Brothers Grimm, a brother duo of German academicians, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers, and novelists.
This "Gothic" adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood examines the animistic force of the puppet, creates an eclectic relationship between itself and the actress's body, and effectively unites poetry with a sense of humour, amusing the audience.
Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre to join Indonesia International Culture Festival 2022
Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre will join the prestigious "Indonesia International Culture Festival 2022" in Indonesia from October 22-30.
The festival is one of the largest gatherings of dance professionals in the world, organised by the government of Indonesia, said a media release Wednesday.
Pooja Sengupta, the artistic director of Turongomi, will represent Bangladesh at the festival. She will also conduct a workshop and talk about the Bangladeshi Aroti dance. She will also take part in the popular Bandung Art Festival 2022 in Jawa.
Recently, Pooja represented Bangladesh at the Sustainable Development Goals UNESCO Resili-Art Festival in Manila, the Philippines in April 2022.
Later this year in July, Turongomi took part in the Daegu Colorful Festival, one of the largest dance parades in the world.
Since its inception in 2014, Turongomi has been working with the motto of establishing the signature style of Bangladeshi dance in the international arena and achieving professionalism in the dance scenario of Bangladesh.
Turongomi School of dance, a sister concern of Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre, became a member of the International Dance Council of UNESCO along with Pooja herself, in 2019.
Pooja received the Noorul Quader Entrepreneur award in 2018 for establishing Turongomi.
Ayub Bachhu's 4th death anniversary comes and goes quietly
Though it was expected that several functions would be held commemorating the fourth death anniversary of the country’s iconic rock superstar Ayub Bachhu, surprisingly no significant event was organised marking the day across the country or in the music industry on Tuesday.
However, some fans, music lovers, co-artists remembered the legendary iconic singer and guitarist on social media including Facebook.
Here, some remarkable memories of the late superstar were put up.
Sharing a picture with his friend Ayub Bachhu, popular singer Kumar Bishwajit in a Facebook post said "Stay in the heart forever, stay sound friend".
Music Director and Singer Nakib Khan in another post said ‘’How time flies! Our dear Bachhu--you will always stay in our heart, May Allah grant you Jannah.”
Read: “Miss and love you…Sollo,” says Ayub Bachchu’s son on his 4th death anniversary
Lyricist and composer Prince Mahmud said “Losing you we understood what you were."
Popular Singer Kanak Chanpa wrote “I was not able to write mourning when I was about to write the word on the mourning notebook, pride came out instead of mourning for you. Not a single song fell on the soil, rather grabbed its place in the minds of people, which (you) magician of composer and guitar designed. There is no need to write the songs, sung by you, on the notebook which youths of the country can sing like timetables”.
“I don’t call him an artist, rather a saint. No mourning comes from the heart for a saint, comes pride. Ayub Bachhu is the greatest guitarist of the sub-continent, Bachhu is our pride, and we will surely feel pride, Rest in peace in the graveyard,” she observed.
Music artist Shawkat Ali Emon in his Facebook timeline wrote “Those whom we love very much they don’t go away, rather walk beside us, unseen and no tearing always stay closer, still love you, miss. May Alla grant you jannah, You (Bachhu bhai) was, is and will be,”
Popular Singer Asif Akbar recalled the guitarist by saying “Bachhu bhai played guitar for two hours at a function organised by me and tied my with the knot of gratefulness, once there was a good family bonding with him and he used to love very much my mother, and even he used to meet mother going Cumilla, though I didn’t know it.”