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Maithili Rao, Winner of Fipresci-India’s Satyajit Ray Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing on Cinema Award 2024 delivered the 5th Chidananda Dasgupta Memorial Lecture to Commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Chidananda Dasgupta (B. 20 Nov 1921)
To Commemorate the Birth Anniversary of the Founder President Chidananda Dasgupta (B. 20 Nov 1921) Fipresci-India Announces the Result of the 5th Chidananda Dasgupta Memorial Competition for Best Film Criticism 2024:
đ1st: Ms. Rhythm Mandal (Kolkata, West Bengal)
đ2nd: Mr. Sayan Paul (Kolkata, West Bengal)
đ3rd: Ms. Prajapita Debroy (Agartala, Tripura)
đ4th: Ms. Anju Devadas (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)
đ5th: Mr. Gursimran Datla (Kapurthala, Panjab)
đ6th: Ms. Labanya Dey (Kolkata, West Bengal)
đ7th: Mr. Chandrakant Kamble (Mumbai, Maharashtra)
đ8th: Ms. Janet J (Malappuram, Kerala)
đ9th: Mr. Abirbhab Maitra (Kalyani, West Bengal)
đ10th: Ms. Divya Sachar (Patel Nagar, Delhi)
1st and 2nd rank holders will get a cash award of Rs.6,000/- and Rs.5,000/- respectively while others will get Certificates of Merit. All 10 critiques will be published in Fipresci-India’s quarterly film journal E-Cine-India @ https://fipresci-india.org/e-cine-india/
FIPRESCI
Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique
The International Federation of Film Critics
FIPRESCI is an association of the national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from 50 countries worldwide. It was founded on 6th June 1930 at Academy Palace in Brussels, Belgium.
President: Isabelle Danel, France
Vice-Presidents: Barbara Hollender, Poland; Rita di Santo, UK
General Secretary: Klaus Eder, Germany
Deputy General Secretary: Alin Tasciyan, Turkey
Head Office: Schleissheimer Str. 83, D-80797 Munich, Germany
FIPRESCI-INDIA
The India Chapter of FIPRESCI was founded in the year 1992 by Chidananda Dasgupta as President and Aruna Vasudev as Vice-President.
Presidents:
Chidananda Dasgupta
Aruna Vasudev
Sudhir Nandgaonkar
Narahari Rao
Rafiq Bagdadi
V K Joseph (in office since 1 Jan 2019)
Secretaries:
Shoma Chatterjee
Anil Grover
Sudhir Nandgaonkar
Narahari Rao
M K Raghavendra
Madhu Eravankara
Premendra Mazumder (in office since 1 Jan 2019)
MEMBERS*
President
V K JOSEPH
V K JOSEPH is a National Award (2007) winning film critic, poet, author, and activist from Kerala. A member of BOS for MA in Film Studies in Malayalam University. Editor of monthly film journal âDrishyathalamâ. Former director of SIGNS film festival and former vice-chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Recipient of Ritwik Ghatak Award from Rajshahi (2017) and Lifetime Achievement Award from Jaffna International Film Festival Sri Lanka (2019). Published eight books on cinema which bagged many awards. Writing on cinema and other cultural issues regularly in periodicals and has served the jury in many international film festivals worldwide.
General Secretary
PREMENDRA MAZUMDER
PREMENDRA MAZUMDER is a film critic, author, activist, and organizer based in Kolkata. Writes extensively on cinema. Authored five plays, an anthology of short stories, two collections of essays. Edited many books and journals. Vice president of the Federation of Film Societies of India; Asia-Pacific secretary of the International Federation of Film Societies. Works for many film festivals as chairman, program director, coordinator and consultant. Served the jury in more than forty film festivals worldwide. Recipient of Ritwik Ghatak Award (Rajshahi, 2016), Satyajit Ray Memorial Award (Asian Film Foundation Mumbai, 2018) and Vijaya Mulay Lifetime Achievement Award (FFSI-Keralam, 2023).
Treasurer
G P RAMACHANDRAN
G P RAMACHANDRAN is a National Award (2006) winning film critic, author and activist from Kerala who also won four State Awards in Kerala along with several other awards. Served the jury in various international film festivals like Slemania in Kurdistan-Iraq, Bengaluru, IFFK Kerala, International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala IDSFFK, SIGNS Festival of Documentaries Shorts and Digital Videos, and also John Abraham Award for Best Malayalam Film, National Award for Best Writing on Cinema, Kerala State Awards for Television Programs, etc. Authored ten books and several articles in Malayalam. Presently a member of Kerala Sahitya Akademi.
Executive Committee Member
ASHOK RANE
ASHOK RANE is a three times National Award (1995, 2002, 2019) winning film critic and academician based in Mumbai. Has eight books and eight documentaries to his credit. Recipient of FIPRESCI-Indiaâs âSatyajit Ray Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing on Cinema 2023â in Cannes. Attending many film festivals worldwide for 40 years. Served the jury in many festivals including Moscow, Montreal, Rotterdam, Toronto, Busan, Kerala and others. Also served the jury for National Film Award and Indian Panorama. Teaches film appreciation, film criticism, script writing in different educational institutions. Director of Ajanata-Ellora International Film Festival.
Executive Committee Member
REKHA DESHPANDE
REKHA DESHPANDE is a film critic, journalist, writer and translator based in Mumbai. Authored seven books on cinema and translated more than 40 books on various subjects. Her Marathi book âNayika â a social, cultural, artistic analysis of women protagonists in Indian cinemaâ received Maharashtra State Award in 1997. Marathi Chitrapatsrushticha Itihas (History of Marathi Cinema), Taramaticha Prawas ⊠(100 years of the portrayal of women in Indian Cinema), Dastan-e-Dilipkumar are her much acclaimed books. Served the jury in several international film festivals including Karlovy Vary, Kerala, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Third Eye, Dhaka, Aurangabad, Hyderabad and others.
Executive Committee Member
RITA (RWITA) DUTTA
RITA (RWITA) DUTTA is a film critic and film scholar based in Kolkata. A PhD in cinema studies from the Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata. Edits an international film journal âFilmBuffâ since 2006. Attended many international film festivals worldwide as a jury member like Cannes, Busan, Kiev, Cairo, Kerala, Osianâs Cinefan Delhi, Nepal, Aswan, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey, and others. Delivered lectures on cinema, especially on Indian cinema, in Istanbul, Almaty, Poland, Greece, China, Brazil, Germany, Romania and several other places in home and abroad. Contributes to various national and international publications in India, Spain, France and several other countries.
Executive Committee Member
SILADITYA SEN
SILADITYA SEN is a film critic, author, and columnist based in Kolkata. Working at the editorial department of Anandabazar Patrika since 1998. Authored books titled ‘Mrinal Sener Film Jatra’, âAuthorized Interview of Tanvir Mokammelâ, âThe Cinema of the Majority: An Appraisal of Intoleranceâ, ‘Cinemar Swar O Sanket’ (awarded as the Best Book in Cinema by Bengal Film Journalists Association in 1998). Served the jury in Indian Panorama, National Award for the Best Book and Writing in Cinema, MIFF, Bengaluru IFF, IFFK Kerala, Kolkata IFF, and others. Member of the editorial board of ‘Cinema in India’, a publication of NFDC.
Executive Committee Member
N VIDYASHANKAR
N VIDYASHANKAR is a film critic, author and academician based in Bangalore. Writing on cinema for over three decades. Edited a literary journal for eight years and a film society journal for two years. Compiled a book on European film theories in Kannada, edited a book on African cinema and published a work on âFilm Art & Cultureâ. Scripted and directed TV serials and subtitled many documentaries. Founder member and artistic director of Bengaluru IFF (BIFFES). Former president of Suchitra Film Society. Served the jury at Cannes, Busan, Quezon city, Trivandrum, Pune, Aurangabad, Lucknow, Golden Arch Award and others.
Executive Committee Member
MANOJ BARPUJARI
MANOJ BARPUJARI is a National Award (2011) winning film critic, poet and author based in Guwahati. Served the jury in many festivals like Busan, Hong Kong, Port of Spain, Almaty, Dhaka, Kolkata, Kerala, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, and others. Published twenty books in Assamese and English including five on cinema and eight poetry collections. Won Assam State Film Award in 2015, Prag Cine Award in 2016, Munin Borkotoky Literary Award in 2003 for poetry collection, a Caribbean journalism fellowship in 2010 and Hem Barua Award in 2017 for travelogue. Conducted workshops, delivered lectures on film criticism and directed a documentary.
Honorary Member
ARUNA VASUDEV
ARUNA VASUDEV is a film critic and author based in Delhi. A PhD from the University of Sorbonne, Paris. Edited over fifteen books, made a documentary and won many awards including FIPRESCI-Indiaâs âSatyajit Ray Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing on Cinemaâ in 2021. Founder-Editor of Cinemaya: the Asian film quarterly, founder of Cinefan: the festival of Asian cinema. Founder of Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema – NETPAC. Founder-Director of The Inner Path, a festival of Buddhist films, art and philosophy. Translated Jean-Claude Carriereâs book, âIn Search of the Mahabharataâ into English.
Honorary Member
H.N. NARAHARI RAO
H.N. NARAHARI RAO is film critic based in Bangalore. Founder secretary and president of Suchitra Film Society Bangalore. Former president of Federation of Film Societies of India. Authored several books like âMy Days with the Film Society Movementâ, âA Glimpse of Kannada cinemaâ, âThe Most Memorable Films of the Worldâ, âThe Film Society Movement in Indiaâ and co-authored âPuttanna Kanagalâ. Teaches film appreciation in colleges and film societies. Founder and former artistic director of Bengaluru IFF (BIFFES). Served the jury in many international film festivals including Oberhausen, Cannes, Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Pusan, Mumbai, Bangkok, Osian Cinefan, IFFK, and others.
Honorary Member
I. SHANMUGHADAS
I. SHANMUGHADAS is a National Award (1999) winning film critic based in Thrissur. Authored seven books on cinema. Won Kerala State Film Award in 1996 and 2011, Kerala State Film Critics Association Awards in 1997 and 2006. Won the FIPRESCI-Indiaâs âSatyajit Ray Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing on Cinemaâ in 2022. Founder president of Screen Unit Mumbai and Navachithra Film Society Thrissur. Won Kerala Sahitya Academy Vilasini Puraskaram for ‘Shareeram Nadhi Nakshathram’ and the Kerala Sahitya Academy G.N. Pillai Award for ‘Coco Colayum Marxum’. Won Kozhikotan Puraskaram in 2012 and M.N. Vijayan Award in 2022.
Honorary Member
PRADIP BISWAS
PRADIP BISWAS is a National Award (1989) winning film critic and author based in Kolkata. Published 33 Books on cinema. Taught film studies and journalism in Calcutta University and Netaji Subhash Open University. Served the jury in Fribourg, Istanbul, Bulgaria, and other festivals. Was invited to Locarno. As a film critic worked for the Hindusthan Standard, The Telegraph, The Amrita Bazar Patrika, Sunday Mail, Cinema India International, Cinema in India etc. Edited Indian Panorama Book in 1985. Seved Central Board of Film Certification. Regularly contributing articles on cinema to The New Sunday Express, The Financial Express and others.
Member
RAFIQUE BAGHDADI
RAFIQUE BAGHDADI is a National Award (2006) winning film critic, film historian, film archivist, and author based in Mumbai. A veteran film journalist, lifelong walker of Bombay streets, and authority on Manto. An excellent raconteur, a treasure trove of Bombay history. Passionate about connecting the present to past but pragmatic about the inevitability of change and how heritage succumbs to modernization. Started writing about films in the â70s. Conducted interviews with writers, directors and nostalgic older actors. Authored a book titled âTalking Films- Compilation of interviews of film personalitiesâ covers period from mid-seventies to late eighties.
Member
M K RAGHAVENDRA
M K RAGHAVENDRA is a National Award (1996) winning film critic, author and scholar based in Bangalore. Recipient of Homi Bhabha Fellowship in 2000 to research narration in popular cinema. Published 15 books including 12 on cinema from international publishers like Oxford University Press, Routledge, HarperCollins and Bloomsbury. Served the jury in many international film festivals like Leipzig, Thessaloniki, Zanzibar and MIFF. Lectured on cinema at many prestigious institutions like IITs, IIMs, JNU, IIAS, Viswa-Bharati and others. Writing extensively on cinema and society for many reputed periodicals and newspapers like EPW, Frontline, Caravan, Outlook, Deccan Herald and others.
Member
BHAICHAND PATEL
BHAICHAND PATEL is a film critic, author and columnist based in Delhi. Authored many books including âChasing the Good Lifeâ, âHappy Hours: The Penguin Book of Cocktailsâ, âBollywood’s Top Twenty: The Superstars of Indian Cinemaâ and a bestselling novel, âMothers, Lovers & Other Strangersâ, which also published in Hindi as âHaath Ki Lakeerenâ. Lived in Fiji, Delhi, Bombay, London, New York, Cairo and Manila. A former director of the United Nations. Best known for his witty and acerbic pieces in various reputed newspapers and magazines. A celebrated lawyer with a degree from the London School of Economics.
Member
LATIKA PADGAONKAR
LATIKA PADGAONKAR is a film critic based in Pune. A PhD from the University of Sorbonne, Paris. Writing extensively on cinema, particularly Asian cinema. Was the deputy editor of Cinemaya, The Asian Film Quarterly, and the joint director of Cinefan (later Osian’s Cinefan)- the festival of Asian cinema in New Delhi. Served the jury in many international film festivals. Co-edited Being and Becoming: the Cinemas of Asia, Asian Film Journeys and Kenji Mizoguchi, The Art of Japanese Cinema and A Patchwork Quilt. For the Pune International Centre, organized many theme-based film festivals at the National Film Archive of India.
Member
NIRMAL DHAR
NIRMAL DHAR is a film critic based in Kolkata. Writing on cinema since 1970. Works for different Bengali weekly and daily like Amrita, Jugantar, Bartaman, Pratidin and others. Visited Tokyo, Nantes, Torino, Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Armenia, Istanbul, Rotterdam, Toronto, Thessaloniki, Cairo, El Gouna, Guanajuato, Abu Dhabi, Taiwan, Busan, Vladivostok, Duhok, Fajr and other international film festivals, and served the jury in some of those. Published books in Bengali on world cinema and Indian cinema and translated several scripts. Served the jury in National Film Award, Indian Panorama, MIFF. Member of the selection committee of the Kolkata International Film Festival.
Member
MEENAKSHI SHEDDE
MEENAKSHI SHEDDE is a National Award-winning film critic (1998), curator, journalist and consultant, based in Mumbai. Programmer, Indian, South Asian and world cinema for 26 years. Worked with Berlin, Toronto, Locarno, Busan, Dubai, Jio Mami Mumbai, IFFI-Goa, IFF Kerala festivals; British Film Institute, TIFF Cinematheque, Cinematheque Francaise. Served on the jury of 25 film festivals, including Semaine de la Critique, Cannes-2023; Berlin and Venice. Golden Globe Awards International Voter; Member, Asia Pacific Screen Academy. Script Mentor/ Consultant to labs, funds worldwide, including Sundance Institute, Venice, Hubert Bals. Worked on 15 films, series. Wrote for/edited 21 books.
Member
NAMRATA JOSHI
NAMRATA JOSHI is a National Award (2004) winning film critic based in Ghaziabad. Worked for The Economic Times, TV Today, India Today, Outlook, The Hindu. Now writes on cinema for The Wire, The Times of India, Firstpost, Open, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Khaleej Times and National Herald. Consulting editor of The New Indian Express and freelance film critic with Screen International UK. Served the jury in Toronto, Transylvania, Cluj, Cairo, Moscow, IFFK, and other festivals. Winner of Charles Wallace fellowship in 2004 and British Chevening Scholarship in 1999. Authored the book âReel India: Cinema off the Beaten Trackâ.
Member
BITOPAN BORBORAH
BITOPAN BORBORAH is a film critic, author and a senior journalist associated with the Assam Tribune Group based in Guwahati. An acclaimed fiction writer, published five anthologies of short fiction. Besides winning several literary awards, also won Parag Kumar Das Memorial Award for journalism and received the Assam State Award for film criticism. Served the jury at Mumbai and Bengaluru International Film Festivals besides overseas festivals like Pusan, Moscow, Cannes, Cairo and El Gauna, Egypt. A film society activist and served as a festival director of the CineASA International Film Festival Guwahati for ten years until 2015.
Member
S VISWANATH
S VISWANATH is a film critic based in Bangalore. Has a PG degree in English literature and MS in journalism with film studies. Freelancing for several online film journals, web magazines, and print media. Writes on international cinema and Indian cinema, especially on South Indian cinema and Kannada cinema. Working as a consultant for Bengaluru International Film Festival BIFFES and also for Bengaluru International Short Film Festival. Served the jury of several international film festivals in home and abroad like IFFK Kerala, Abu Dhabi, Toronto and others. Authored âRandom Reflections: A Kaleidoscopic Musings on Kannada Cinemaâ.
Member
S.R. ASHOK KUMAR
S.R. ASHOK KUMAR is film critic based in Chennai. Recipient of highest State Award âKalaimaamaniâ from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Served in the Central Board of Film Certification. Won Best Film Journalist Award given by Film Fans Association. Received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Film Journalist Association Chennai. Worked as a guest faculty in Madurai Kamaraj University in Journalism and Mass Communication. Written portraits on political stalwarts like Honâble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, A.B. Vajpayee. Interviewed MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa. Written five books. Wrote numerous articles on cinema, culture, sports, politics, science in leading publications.
Member
LALIT RAO
LALIT RAO is a film critic, screenwriter, French translator and interpreter based in Jaipur. Reported extensively on world cinema through more than 40 blogs and 8 video channels. In 2008, launched âCinema-poet 2008â, his first YouTube channel and in 2013 launched his second YouTube channel âIndian talkies 1913â. Served the jury in Sienna Italy and Bangalore International Film Festival. Studied Master 2 for an academic year 2005-2006 at the UniversitĂ© de Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris. Also worked on distribution of Indian cinema in France. Attended many film festivals in France and India.
Member
MEENA KARNIK
MEENA KARNIK is a film critic and author based in Mumbai. Working as a journalist for more than 35 years. Served the jury in Ankara’s Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival, IKKF Kerala, Bengaluru IFF and the Aurangabad IFF. Co-edits an annual, âAksharâ which won all the prestigious literary awards in Marathi. Writes regularly on world cinema. Has more than ten books to her credit which also include a few translations. Most recent book as co-author is âPyaar ka Raag Sunoâ, which traces the history of romance from Dev Anand to Shahrukh Khan in Hindi cinema.
Member
NARENDRA BANDABE
NARENDRA BANDABE is a film critic, author and academician based in Mumbai and Pune. Served as a voter for the 81st Golden Globe Awards in 2024. Also served as a jury member for the International Film Festival Kerala IFFK in 2022. Besides writing in cinema, actively involved in teaching film theory, film culture, and film appreciation at various universities and colleges. Conducts film appreciation courses. Attended several international film festivals including Berlinale and Karlovy Vary. Authored a book on ace Hollywood filmmaker Stanley Kubrick in Marathi language.
Member
SHUBHRA GUPTA
SHUBHRA GUPTA is a film critic and author based in Delhi. Columnist at The Indian Express, boasts over 20 years of experience with her widely-read weekly column. Frequently attends global film festivals and served on national and international juries. Curates and conducts the hugely popular platform, The Indian Express Film Club, in Delhi and Mumbai. A member of the Central Board of Film Certification. Recipient of the prestigious 2012 Ramnath Goenka Award that celebrates the finest in Indian journalism. Authored two books- ’50 Films That Changed Bollywood 1995-2015′, and ‘Irrfan: A Life in Movies’.
Member
SIRAJ SYED
SIRAJ SYED is a film critic based in Mumbai working in the field of film journalism for 54 years. Joined Indiaâs best-known radio broadcaster Ameen Sayani in 1972, and worked with him till his death. Having degrees in Science and Law, did diploma in French, Persian, Bengali, Urdu, Film Appreciation, Film Direction, Advertising, Marketing and Video Production. Devised a course in 1984 called Announcing, Broadcasting, Compering and Dubbing (ABCD), one of its kind, which ran for 16 years. After acting in 13 films and 28 TV serials, went to Singapore, in 1996, to set-up ESPNâs Hindi sports channel.
Member
AMITAVA NAG
AMITAVA NAG is a film critic and author based in Kolkata. Editor of the film magazine âSilhouetteâ since 2001. Recent books on cinema are âThe Cinema of Tapan Sinha : An Introductionâ, â75 years 75 films: Indiaâs Cinematic Journeyâ, âThe Cinema of Mrinal Sen: A Quest for the Unresolvedâ, âSoumitra Chatterjee: His Life in Cinema and Beyondâ, âMurmurs: Silent Steals with Soumitra Chatterjeeâ, âSatyajit Rayâs Heroes and Heroinesâ. Writes extensively in Bengali and English and has authored 11 books on cinema. Runs a film club for the students in a couple of schools in West Bengal.
Member
MEGHACHANDRA KONGBAM
MEGHACHANDRA KONGBAM is a National Award (2015) winning film critic, academician and activist based in Imphal and Delhi. After obtaining a PG degree in Journalism from the Benaras Hindu University in 1979 and undergoing film appreciation course at FTII Pune in 1985, plunged into writing on cinema in leading newspapers and journals. A film society activist and presently the president of the Film Society of Manipur established in 1966. Served the jury at many international film festivals including IFFK Kerala, Thrissur and Bangalore. Associated with many literary and cultural organizations. Authored a book titled âManipuri Cinemaâ in 2021.
Member
MINAKSHI DUTTA
MINAKSHI DUTTA is a film critic and academician based in Jorhat. A PhD from Tezpur University. Authored two books on Assamese cinema. Served the jury in international film festival of Kerala IFFK and Thrissur. Published many articles in various reputed national and international journals like Sage Journal of Creative Communications, CinejCinema journal and others. Conducted sessions in different film appreciation courses as a resource person. A member of the Board of Studies of the School of Media Arts and Communications, Pimpri Chinchwad University, Pune.
Member
RANJITA BISWAS
RANJITA BISWAS is a film critic, journalist, author and translator based in Kolkata and Guwahati. Writes on art and culture, films, environ, and gender issues. Editor of feature service, Trans World Features. Served the jury in national and international film festivals a couple of times. Translates from Assamese into English and has eight published works to her credit. Won Katha Award for translation three times, the Best Translation Prize from Sahitya Akademi 2017, and the PFC- Valley of Words Award 2021. An award winning writer of childrenâs fiction having published with Childrenâs Book Trust, National Book Trust, etc.
Member
N MANU CHAKRAVARTHY
N MANU CHAKRAVARTHY is a National Award (2010) winning film critic, author and scholar based in Bangalore. Taught English literature in UG and PG levels for four decades. Teaches cultural theory, feminist theory, and film theory at several institutions as a visiting professor. His book on cultural theory, âMadhyama Margaâ received the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and the V.M. Inamdar Award. Served the jury in several international film festivals. Written many articles and authored several books on literature and cinema. Regularly delivers lectures on various aspects of cinema and culture.
Member
SACHIN CHATTE
SACHIN CHATTE is a film critic and activist based in Goa. Writing on cinema for 30 years. Reviewing films for the daily newspaper âThe Navhind Timesâ in Goa since 1998, and also contributing to various other publications regularly. Curating films for the Cinephile Film Club of the Entertainment Society of Goa and served on several juries. Also teaches film appreciation at Goa University and various other colleges in the state. Working as a radio jockey with AIR FM Rainbow for 25 years and also as a cricket commentator for All India Radio.
Member
C.S. VENKITESWARAN
C.S. VENKITESWARAN is a National Award (2009) winning film critic, author, subtitler and curator based in Kerala. A Post Doctorate from Calicut University. Contributes to reputed publications like Deep Focus, Cinema India, Film International, Journal of South Asian Cinema, The Hindu, Frontline, Indian Express, Mathrubhumi, Deshabhimani, Madhyamam and others. Received State Awards for film writing and also for Best Documentary. Was the artistic director of SiGNS Festival for 10 years. His books include âA Door to Adoorâ, âMalayala Cinema Padanangalâ, âCinema Talkiesâ, âMalayaliyude Nava Madhyama Jeevithamâ, âIni Velicham Mathram – Film and Vision of Fernando Solanasâ, and others.
Member
SREEDEVI P
SREEDEVI P is a film critic and scholar based in Malappuram, Kerala. A PhD in cinema studies from Calicut University. Was awarded Kerala Chalachitra Academy fellowship to conduct research on dance choreography in cinema. Contributes articles and research papers on cinema, film theory and film movements, dance choreography in Malayalam cinema, cultural studies, spectators, cinematic space, and cinematic geography to leading journals. Directed three documentaries, one highlighting the life and work of Malayalam actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan, other titled âA Walk with MN Karasserryâ. Latest documentary called âMozhiazhakuâ explores the richness of the history of Malayalam language.
Member
PRANJAL BORAH
PRANJAL BORAH is a film critic, academician, author and activist based in Jorhat. A PhD in cinema studies from Dibrugarh University. Author of three books in cinema. Teaches English literature and works as the visiting lecturer in cinema studies in different colleges and universities in the North East India. Organized five film festivals and coordinated an equal number of film appreciation courses. Penned a number of research articles and book chapters on films for several prestigious publications. Served the jury in many film festivals. Recipient of Assam State Best Film Critic Award and Prag Cine Award.
Member
APARAJITA PUJARI
APARAJITA PUJARI is a film critic, author, poet, and translator based in Guwahati. Authored the book âModar Phulor Jui’, an anthology of critical analysis on cinema. Won Assam State Film Award 2023 for best writing in cinema and Prag Cine Award 2024 for best book in cinema. Served as the consultant-editor of the book âBraveheart Lachit Barphukanâ- a national initiative of Assam Government in 23 major Indian languages. Participated in several film awards and festivals of Assam as a curator and jury member. Served as the director of âAranyaniâ- North East India’s first documentary festival on environment.
Member
UMA DA CUNHA
UMA DA CUNHA is a film critic, programmer, writer, and casting director based in Mumbai. Edited âMontageâ – a monograph on Satyajit Ray. Worked in the Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India. Founder member and advisor to the Indian film festivals in London, Los Angeles, Stuttgart, Melbourne, Houston. Curated for New Yorkâs Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center, Museum of Modern Image. Served the jury in Cannes and other festivals. In 2022 Indian film festival in Stuttgart awarded her Baden-WĂŒrttemberg’s Staufer Medal. Won the Film Heritage Foundationâs Lifetime Achievement Award and Jio MAMIâs Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
Member
ANNA M.M. VETTICAD
ANNA M.M. VETTICAD is an award-winning journalist based in Gurgaon. Author of âThe Adventures of an Intrepid Film Criticâ. Specialized in the intersection of cinema with socio-political concerns. A profile by DailyO in 2017 described her reviews as âbrilliant feminist sociocultural and political dissections of seemingly harmless cinematic extravaganzasâ. In a career that began in 1994, has worked with India Today, Indian Express and Headlines Today (now India Today TV) where she was the channelâs entertainment editor, film critic and host of a weekly interview show. Currently writes for various national and international publications, and runs the blog annavetticadgoes2themovies.
Member
MADHU JANARDANAN
MADHU JANARDANAN is a film critic from Kerala. Secretary of Reshmi Film Society Malappuram. Organiser of SIGNS Documentary and Short Film Festival. Member of the general council of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Served editorial board of film journals ‘Drisyathalam’ and ‘Chalachitra Sameeksha’. Directed documentaries- ‘M S Baburaj- Mithum manasum’ and ‘Race against time’ and music video ‘Malappuram soccer song’. Authored the books- ‘Football cinemakal-kazchayum prathinidhanavum’ (won ‘Ala award’), ‘Kalikkalangalkkappuram’, ‘TV Chandran- cinema, jeevitham, darshanam’, ‘Kalabhavan Mani’, ‘K P Kumaran- Pradesham, Aadhunikatha, Cinema’, ‘Girish Karnad- kalayile nilapadukal’ and ‘Budhadeb Dasgupta- Kavyajeevithathinte thirayadayalangal’. Recipient of 2023 Ritwik Ghatak Award from Rajshahi.
Member
ABHIJIT DESHPANDE
ABHIJIT DESHPANDE is a film critic, author and activist based in Mumbai. Founder of Pratima Film Society, Dombivli and Drushti Film Forum in Somaiya Vidyavihar Campus. A trustee of Prabhat Chitra Mandal, Mumbai. Selector for several film festivals like MAMI, Third Eye Asian Film Festival Mumbai, and Pune IFF. Contributed to the field of film studies as an editor, writer, and translator. Edited âVastav Roopwaniâ, the journal of film studies in Marathi language from 2015 to 2018. Written and translated many articles on film theories and film studies. A regular speaker at various events and courses on film appreciation.
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