SRFTI, Dhaka varsity to tie up soon

Kolkata: Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute is in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding with the University of Dhaka for a collaborative production. This is the first of its kind initiative undertaken by SRFTI with any foreign university. The MoU’s draft is now awaiting the nod from ministry of information and broadcasting.
On Ray’s 97th birth anniversary on Wednesday, the institute hosted its eighth convocation in attendance of veteran directors Saeed Akhtar Mirza and Kumar Sahni.Before the convocation ceremony, both filmmakers paid a visit to Ray’s Bishop Lefroy Road house in the morning to pay their respect.
Forty-six students from six departments got their diploma. “This is the first time that students from Department of Producing for Film & Television are getting diplomas. The department started functioning from 2012,” said SRFTI director Debamitra Mitra.
Mitra will be off to Dhaka to complete the formalities the moment the ministry gives its nod. “This will benefit the newly-introduced wing of electronic and digital media. There will be student and faculty exchange programmes between Dhaka University and SRFTI,” she said. Collaborative production between both these institutes on cinema and digital content are also on the anvil.
Besides, talks are on with the University of Central Florida to also initiate an exchange programme. “We already have a student exchange programme with Italy’s Zelig Films School. Once in two years, five students and a faculty member go to Italyand vice versa. They attend master classes and engage in joint productions,” Mitra said.
Electronic and digital media wing dean Abhijit Dasgupta has gone to the US to facilitate another collaborative project. “He informed that talks are on so that an MoU can be signed with the Brooklyn College and New York University. If this comes through, it will be a massive impetus to our students,” Mitra added.