KU’s MERC starts film appreciation course in collaboration with FTII
In first of its kind initiative, Media Education Research Centre at University of Kashmir in collaboration with Film and Television Institute of India Pune on Monday kick-started a five-day course on “Film Appreciation” at the University.
The inaugural session was presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi while visiting faculty of FTII Pune, students, scholars and faculty of MERC were present.
The FTII visiting team includes Director FTII, Bhupendra Kantholia, Course Director FTII, Pankaj Saxena, Prof Sandeep Shahare, Sachin Sharma (Cinematographer, Documentary Film Maker), Munish Bhardwaj (Assistant Faculty), Sumitra Bhave (Film Maker), Registrar FTII, Varun Bhardwaj, Irawati Harshe (Actress) and Director National Film Archives India (NFAI), Prakash Magdum.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Prof Andrabi said: “It was my long standing desire to start such a course at Kashmir University.” While appreciating the young talent in J&K, he said youth have proven their mettle in different walks of life.
Dean, School of Social Sciences at KU, Prof Asifa Jan said introduction of such courses is the need of hour.
Coordinator, MERC Faruq Masudi while appreciating the efforts of Vice Chancellor said, “credit goes to Prof Andrabi. It is because of his cooperation and support that we have been able to start this film appreciation course today.”
“This five day course will train media students in different nuances of film appreciation and cinema as an art form, thereby honing their aesthetics and technical skills for film making as a creative medium of expression,” he said.
He informed that MERC will be starting different courses in near future in collaboration with FTII.
Director FTII, Bhupendra Kantholia said that there is a particular way of watching films and this film appreciation course is all about it. “In Kashmir, there is no dearth of talent. That’s why FTII from next academic session will be establishing entrance examination centers in Srinagar. Earlier it used to be held in Jammu region only,” he said.
Course Director, FTII, Pankaj Saxena, said there are many untold stories in Kashmir which need to be presented before the world. However, that is only possible when appreciation for creative works like film making will be initiated in Kashmir, he said. Programe coordinator, Muslim Jan presented vote of thanks, and will be coordinating the five day film appreciation course.
KV Correspondent
