“Navalny,” a look at a Russian opposition leader following an attempt on his life, has won the Oscar for best documentary feature. Director Daniel Roher’s portrait of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has shadowy operatives, truth-seeking journalists, conspiracy theories and Soviet-era poisons. It is a film with obvious political poignance following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roher accepted his statuette by saying he dedicated it to Navalny and to all political prisoners around the world. "Alexei, the world has not forgotten your vital message to us all: We must not be afraid to oppose dictators and authoritarianism wherever it rears its head. Navalny's wife, Yulia, said: “Alexei, I am dreaming of the day you will be free and our country will be free. Stay strong, my love.” Also Read: Antiwar ‘All Quiet’ wins the Oscar for international film Navalny is a media savvy, anti-corruption campaigner in his mid-40s who has for many years been a headache for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s released numerous reports about corruption in Russia and the Putin administration and become a popular and rallying figure among like-minded Russians. Roher was able to sit down with Navalny during his brief stay in Berlin in 2020 and early 2021 as he was recovering from being poisoned and seeking the truth behind the unsuccessful murder attempt. The media has called Navalny the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. And he is seemingly undaunted by the intimidation and the arrests he’s endured. The film was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the documentary audience award and the festival favorite award. “'Navalny,' first and foremost, is about the passion, drive and inspiring heroism of Alexey Navalny, who even as we celebrate this award continues to languish in a penal colony,” said Amy Entelis, an executive vice president at CNN Worldwide. The film, presented by CNN Films and HBO Max, represents CNN's first Oscar. “Navalny” beat the other documentary nominees “All That Breathes’; “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”; “Fire of Love”; and “A House Made of Splinters.”

Officials from India’s Income Tax department began conducting searches Tuesday (February 14, 2023) at the BBC’s offices in the capital, New Delhi, three of the broadcaster’s staff members told the Associated Press. The search comes weeks after the British broadcaster released a controversial documentary that examined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role during the 2002 anti-Muslim riots. Teams from the tax department surveyed the BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting officials who were not identified. Also Read: BBC film on India's PM Modi, 2002 riots draws government ire India banned the two-part documentary “India: The Modi Question” last month and authorities scrambled to halt screenings of the program and restrict clips of it on social media in a move that critics and political opponents decried as an assault on press freedom. India’s Foreign Ministry called the documentary a “propaganda piece designed to push a particularly discredited narrative” that lacked objectivity.” The BBC in a statement had said the documentary was “rigorously researched” and involved a wide range of voices and opinions. Read More: Sexual harassment, misconduct went on unchecked at Al Jazeera, staff allege: BBC investigation “We offered the Indian Government a right to reply to the matters raised in the series — it declined to respond,” the statement said.

Bangladeshi short documentary film ‘Dream Run’ has been nominated for the Joel Sotolongo Micro Film Award at The 2022 Treasure Coast International Film, Music, & Art Festival in Florida. The film has been directed by Mohammed Tawhidul Ahsan, who worked with many foreign filmmakers before making his directorial debut. Team 'Dream Run' also includes Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Joy as director of photography, Joao Ramos as the editor and Meghna Agnihotri as the producer. Read: Roni Bhowmik’s New Short Film ‘Chakrakar’ released by Vivo The film is based on the lost rickshaw art of Bangladesh. The film portrays the history and struggles of the artists who paint and decorate rickshaws. Prior to 'Dream Run', Ahsan worked in the short film ‘Human’ directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The film premiered at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York in 2014. In 2018, Ahsan worked in a television movie, titled ‘Uncivil Servant’, directed by Dawn Natalia, which won the Florida Film Gem Award at the Treasure Coast Film Festival in 2020. Read “Moviegoers and media friends helped save Star Cineplex’s original branch” Ahsan has also worked as an artistic director and 360-degree filming director for the Virtual Reality Implementation project of the prestigious Bangabandhu Military Museum. Bangladeshi documentary movie 'Dream Run' is scheduled to be screened at Regal Cinema 14, Jensen Beach, Florida, US, on Friday.

Unfolding the stories behind the cemeteries of tea planters in Bangladesh, a travel documentary titled “Tombs: Tea-Planters Cemeteries in Sylhet” was premiered on Monday at Bangladesh Tourism Board Conference Hall, Agargaon in the capital. Conceptualized and produced by heritage traveller Eliza Binte Elahi and directed by ARM Nasir, the 30-minute documentary premiere, hosted by the Bangladesh Bureau Chief of the Associated Press and United News of Bangladesh-UNB’s Chief of Correspondents Julhas Alam, was joined by Rahnuma Salam Khan, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation as the chief guest. The premiere was also joined by several other prominent personalities including former additional secretary and Bangladesh Birds Club President Jalal Ahmed, Joint Secretary at Ministry of Finance Sheikh Momena Moni, Bangladesh Police DIG Ruhul Amin, Deepto TV CEO Fuad Chowdhury, botanist and tea planter Ashraf Ahmed, former additional secretary Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, and travel magazine Bhromongoddya editor Mahmud Hafiz, among others. Read UNESCO Mondiacult 2022: Bangladesh lauded for creating Bangabandhu International Award Foreigners and many ethnic groups have settled for long periods of rule in Bangladesh and established trade connections, and needless to say that many of them are buried in the country. Different burial grounds are built in almost all the 64 districts of Bangladesh, and there are also tombs of tea planters in different tea gardens of the entire Sylhet division.

 Visiting Indian national award winning filmmaker Goutam Ghosh and noted Indian film director Satyam Roy Chowdhury paid a curtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban on Monday.After the meeting, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters.He said that they discussed about the documentary film titled "Kolkatae Bangabandhu (Bangabandhu in Kolkata)" being made by Goutam Ghosh on life of Bangabandhu during his stay in Kolkata as well as his struggles in political carrier. Also read: New documentary to depict Bangabandhu's life in KolkataFather of the Nation’s Youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana and his grand son Radwan Mujib Siddiq were present during the meeting.The press secretary said that Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana highlighted the outline of the documentary before Goutam and Satyam.They also described Bangabandhu’s struggles and passing of his days in hardship during his student life in Kolkata.Besides, the two daughters of Bangabandhu, who had escaped the 15th August massacre, also projected political life and philosophy of the great leader during the discussion.At the meeting, Goutam and Satyam said, they visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at historic 32 No House of Dhanmondi in the capital and saw the ghoulish signs of the August 15 killing in every corner of the museum.They also apprised the prime minister of their feeling as if the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu is still alive. Also read: Documentary on Bangabandhu premiered at Star CineplexReferring to the “Bangabandhu’s Unfinished Memoirs” and “Karagarer Rojnamcha”, they described the two books as the great pieces of history.Goutam Ghosh and Satyam Chowdhury also said they feel proud of making the documentary on the life and works of the Bangalees’ greatest leader.Later, Hasina and Rehana were interviewed on Bangabandhu’s struggle in his political life as well as during his days in Kolkata.Goutam is making the 30-minute documentary film.On April 4, Goutam began the work of the film by shooting in a classroom at the Maulana Azad College in Kolkata, which was called Islamia College when Bangabandhu studied there during his 1945-46 academic year.

The new documentary on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman titled “Kolkatai Bangabandhu (Bangabandhu in Kolkata)” will depict his life in Kolkata and describe how his each step was driven by big dream and enormous courage, says its director and renowned filmmaker Goutam Ghose on Friday. In a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said Kolkata played a very important role in Bangabandhu’s political life and he will try his best while making the documentary as there are some emotions attached to it. Also read:Star Cineplex to open new branch at Bangabandhu Military Museum Thursday “There had been many writings but less work on audiovisual. I think The Unfinished Memoirs and books compiled by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are authentic and I made my script for the documentary based on their remarks,” said the Indian filmmaker, adding that “there must be a cinematic element and I tried on that front.” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam also spoke at the media briefing. Sharing personal experience, Momen hoped that it will be a very good documentary and unique one and all required support will be extended for a good production. Shahriar said film director Goutam Ghose will visit different places in Dhaka and Tungipara in the next one week and will do the necessary shooting work for the production of this documentary. He also has an interview with the Prime Minister. “We hope that by the end of the shooting period in Bangladesh and the rest of the work in Kolkata, we will be able to release the documentary by next June,” he said. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 19 March 2022 at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata to make the documentary.

Marking the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Russia, an exclusive documentary film titled "Freedom Does Not Breathe Money" has been recently premiered in Moscow based on the removal of mines at the port of Chittagong by the Soviet Navy from 1972-1984. The movie, directed by Russian filmmaker Evgeny Barkhanov, had its opening show in presence of Russian celebrities on December 28 at the Central Cinema Hall in Moscow. Read: BGMEA seeks Russian support for RMG exports Kamrul Ahsan, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Russia, alongside Evgeny Barkhanov, the director of the documentary, and Captain (retd) Nikolay Nikolayevich Koloskov, who was involved in mine clearance as a young Navy officer were present.  Addressing the audience, Ambassador Kamrul Ahsan said, “This 44-minute documentary contains some rare video footage of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which many of us have never seen before.” The documentary showcases the incident after the 1971 Liberation War, as the Chittagong seaport could not be opened for sinking ships and mines and no western country showed any interest in helping Bangladesh in this matter at that time.  Addressing the problem, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman requested then Prime Minister of Russia Alexei Kosygin and the Secretary General of the Soviet Communist Party Lunev Brezhnev during his state visit to Moscow on March 1-3, 1972, to cooperate in clearing the mines in the Bay of Bengal as soon as possible and clear the fairway of sunken ships in order to make way for ships with humanitarian aid. The “Soviet” government, in response to Bangabandhu's request, immediately dispatched about 900 naval personnel from their Pacific Naval Base at Vladivostok to Chittagong with military vessels capable of removing mines and rescuing sunken ships. Read: Deal signed with Russia for procuring 2 police helicopters The documentary interviews Admiral Yuriy Konstantinovich Senatskiy and two other senior officials of the Russian Navy and featured relevant incidents with mine clearance and other circumstances during that operation.  Admiral Yuriy, who passed away during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 shortly after giving the interview, served as the second-in-command of the Soviet Navy stationed at Chittagong seaport. The documentary is now available for the audiences at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO6ObsqSj9c.

Salman Khan remains one of Bollywood's biggest superstars even after three decades since his silver screen debut. His life is the kind that demands a tell-all book, a biopic or a documentary. In fact, Salman has hogged media limelight pretty much since the beginning of his Bollywood career -- be it for his macho looks, rumoured affairs with heroines or "Being Human" off-screen image. His 33-year-long journey in Bollywood will now be played in a special documentary series that will focus on his life from the beginning of his career, lesser-known facts to becoming a superstar, a report said. The docu-series will be packed with interviews of his family members, his current and former co-stars, directors and producers, according to leading film portal 'Bollywood Hungama'. Th docu-series makers are already in talks with a leading OTT platform to premiere this ambitious project, the portal said. Born as Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan in December 1965, the superstar has acted in over 80 films in his 33-year-long career. He is the third-richest Bollywood actor, with an estimated net worth of USD 360 million. READ: Radhe: A Salman Khan movie to watch with family this Eid Apart from playing a range of popular roles from a romantic hero to a flashy action star, Salman is also a film producer. Salman began his career in Bollywood in 1988, with a supporting role in Biwi Ho To Aisi. But his real success came a year later after his award-winning performance in romantic blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya.  Action thriller Karan Arjun (1995), comedy film Biwi No 1 (1999) and the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999) were his other commercial hits. After a brief decline in his career graph in the 2000s, Salman achieved greater stardom in the 2010s by playing the lead role in action films like Dabangg (2010), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014) and Sultan (2016). READ: Bollywood star Salman Khan foots medical bill of ailing actor The 55-year-old is also a television presenter and runs a charity, Being Human Foundation. But the bachelor has a dark side too -- one of his former girlfriends accused him of abusing her, and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2018 for killing two black bucks, a protected antelope species, on a hunting trip. He is currently out on bail.

Here's some good news for movie buffs. The third edition of the Bangladesh Short Film and Documentary Festival will begin on June 18. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it will be a virtual event this year, according to Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Read: First-ever Bangladesh European Union Film Festival (BEUFF) kicks off online A total of 119 films -- 81 fictional and 38  documentaries -- will be shown at this year's event that will virtually run till June 25. The Academy is dedicating this year's festival to the legendary filmmaker Hiralal Sen. BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky and  Director of the Academy's Theatre and Film Department, Afsana Karim Mimi, shared the details of the festival at a virtual press meet streamed on its Facebook page on June 16. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid will virtually inaugurate the festival at 5 pm on June 18 as the chief guest. Read:Rehana Maryam Noor: The Bangladeshi Film in the prestigious list of Cannes Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Badrul Arefin, noted filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury and prominent film scholar-researcher Anupam Hayat will join the inauguration ceremony as special guests, while Mimi will deliver the welcome speech. The inauguration ceremony will be chaired by the BSA Director General. At the virtual press briefing, the organisers said that of the 400-plus films submitted, the 119 were selected by a five-member selection committee.  Read: First Bangladeshi film in Cannes' Un Certain Regard: After Matir Moyna, 'Rehana Maryam Noor' makes history Hayat, advisor to Bangladesh Documentary Council Sazzad Zahir, Secretary General of Bangladesh Short Film Forum Rakibul Hasan, film critic Sadia Khalid, and Assistant Director of BSA's Theatre and Film Department Chakladar Mostafa Al Masoud are the members of the committee. A five-member jury will select the best films of the festival. The jurors are Bangladesh Documentary Council President Faridur Rahman, Bangladesh Short Film Forum President Zahidur Rahman Anjan, filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, actress Mimi and eminent filmmaker Syed Salahuddin Zaki.  Seven separate awards will be conferred on the recipients, based on each of the two categories (fictional films and documentaries). Read: Female filmmakers of Bangladesh have made their mark in the industry The festival will also feature three masterclasses from June 21st to June 23rd at 6 pm. These masterclasses will be conducted by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, Shabnam Ferdousi and Lawrence Apu Rozario.  BSA organised this exclusive film festival in 2016 and 2018 across all the 64 districts of Bangladesh. 

If you’re coming to “ Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry ” hoping for a primer on the music sensation, you’ve come to the wrong place. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler’s two hour and 20-minute documentary about the “Ocean Eyes” singer and songwriter is not biography or reportage. It’s a verite-style plunge into her life, her home, her concerts, her process, her Tourette’s, her brother’s bedroom where they famously write all their songs and even her diary in the year in which she became a star.