DUFS announces 10th IIUSFF; submission deadline July 20

Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) has recently kicked off the 10th edition of one of their biggest annual events, the International Inter-University Short Film Festival 2018, which aims to promote and inspire the work of university students with the dream to become film-makers.

DUFS General Secretary Sourav Sarker told Showtime: “We are trying to make this year’s event even bigger. We want to screen the selected films of the festival in every divisional cities of Bangladesh. We have already contacted the Ministry of Information and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy for that, and if everything goes well, we will turn this into a nationwide movement.”

He said this was the oldest competitive platform for university-going film-makers in Bangladesh. “DUFS was the first organization in the country to host such international inter-university competition. We had received more than 1,700 films from all around the world during last year’s IIUSFF.”

“This year, the students will have to submit their short films to DUFS by July 20,” Sourav added.

Top 50 short films selected by the festival’s jury will be announced within August 10 and will be screened on several IIUSFF festival venues across the country and abroad, including India and the US.

The best short film will receive the Zahir Raihan Best Short Award along with a $300 cheque. The best film-maker will receive the Tareque Masud Best Emerging Director Award along with a $200 cheque.

Moreover, the top 20 participants will get to attend the talent campus session conducted by renowned film-makers and film personnel to sharpen their film-making skills. These masterclasses will be held at the Alliance Française de Dhaka in Dhanmondi.

The IIUSFF was introduced in 2007 with the goal to provide a platform for the young and talented film-makers in Bangladesh and overseas to showcase their talent. Over the years, it has succeeded in creating a name of its own and to work as a cross-cultural platform to portray the different styles and dimensions of young university-going film-makers throughout the world.