Will the winds of change reshape Bangladeshi cinema in 2024?"

The assessment of expectations versus reality reveals both progress and setbacks. As we approach the end of 2024, what has Bangladesh's film industry gained, and what might it receive in the coming year? This will determine the future of the country's cultural activities. In July-August of this year, a popular uprising brought an end to over a decade-and-a-half of authoritarian rule. The people hoped for reforms in all areas. Those involved in the film industry were hopeful that change would finally come to the cinema world. The winds of change indeed blew, but did they truly propel us forward?

Over the past few years, Bangladesh's cinema had slowly started to recover, especially independent films and some middle-range cinema. However, the Film Development Corporation (FDC)-centered film industry, for over a decade, has produced little beyond Shakib Khan's hit films. And even those were not produced every year. As a result, FDC-centric films have faded, and single-screen theaters are gradually losing their charm. The influx of foreign films, particularly Hollywood, alongside growing interest in independent filmmakers' works, has revitalized the multi-screen theater business. Amid this, another development has occurred secretly.

The situation is that artists from the FDC-centered film industry have started working in films by independent filmmakers. In Bangladesh, even if you don't make films with support from the FDC, you still need to obtain their no-objection certificate (NOC), which comes with a cost. Many of the established filmmakers of today initially began making films without FDC support and sought the FDC's NOC. During that time, they often faced ridicule, with remarks like "They make TV dramas, they can't make films." However, with the passage of time, it is now seen that those so-called big stars from the FDC-centered commercial films—such as Shakib Khan, Dipjol, Rubel, Zayed Khan, and others—are now working in films made outside the FDC.

Within the industry, it is evident that a significant change has taken place over the past decade. Moreover, films by these independent filmmakers are now being celebrated at various prestigious international film festivals. In such a context, a turning point occurred in August 2024. After this shift, as everyone called for reforms, those in the film industry also demanded changes. They called for the establishment of a film commission, a film center, and the inclusion of new people in various committees related to the film industry. New people did join the committees, but was the desired outcome achieved?

Since the formation of the interim government, the enthusiasm of those who were vocal about their demands began to wane. The meetings and gatherings held during the first two months gradually became fewer. It seemed that everyone realized that, although reforms were desired, they couldn’t happen overnight. Moreover, one of the most important demands in the film industry was to receive assistance in the release of films through censorship certification. Now, many people are skeptical about whether this is possible at all. This is because, under the previous government, films with a different ideological stance were not allowed to release, and under the current government, films adhering to the previous government's ideology will also be banned. Therefore, the real release of films hasn’t happened. In Bangladesh, we place the most importance on ideological purity over everything else, including art and cinema.

Whenever a political party is in power, our bureaucracy is driven by their political ideology. Furthermore, they are not particularly interested in the arts and literature. As a result, cinema has always remained at the bottom of the priority list. Since cinema is an expensive medium, it requires substantial state support. Therefore, until the policymakers give greater importance to the film industry, there remains doubt about whether genuine reforms will occur. Moreover, if reactionary forces rise in society, it will signal trouble for the film industry. It’s not enough to consider the situation only in the capital; the condition of cinema outside of Dhaka must also be assessed.

Can all filmmakers in our country release all types of films in every cinema across the nation? This question leads to many others. Are they able to independently shoot anywhere in the country with the cooperation of all? Those who participated in government projects as artists during the previous government—are they facing discrimination in the entertainment industry? Was the treatment of those who suffered discrimination under the previous government justifiable? Through these various questions, we must walk the path of reform. Whether within the FDC or beyond, we must eliminate the mentality of control and focus more on nurturing the arts. An artist may have political ideals, but those ideals should not become obstacles to their life or livelihood. This is what true reform looks like.

For a long time, there has been a call for the establishment of a film center in Bangladesh, and taking steps towards that is a move towards reform. For the film schools we have, reform will come through the recruitment of qualified teachers, providing necessary equipment, and updating the syllabus. The committees formed after the uprising must prioritize competence over political ideology when selecting members; only then will the reform initiative succeed.

Everyone wants reform. Our cinema has slowly begun to attract the attention of the international community. Now is the time to establish an effective Film Commission and push it forward. It makes no sense to leave such decisions to political party governments.

Bidhan Ribero: Essayist and Film Critic