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Published : 18 Nov 2022, 01:03 AM
Post-independence, Bangladesh had inherited a handful of state-owned corporations from its Pakistan-era legacy.
One of those was called the Tejgaon-based East Pakistan Film Development Corporation, which was later rechristened as Bangladesh Film Development Corporation, or FDC for short.
FDC’s modus operandi/objective? Promoting and distributing films produced and financed in Bangladesh and by Bangladeshis.
Fast forward to 2022, stakeholders in the film industry consider this corporation as an impediment, rather than a facilitating organ for the industry.
Take the instance of indie filmmaker Khandaker Sumon. He recently asked FDC for a ‘no-objection certificate’ or NOC, which is required to get the necessary certification from the Bangladesh Film Censor Board, a regulatory body which monitors and scrutinises the content of films before they are released, for his upcoming movie Saatao.
Sumon went through quite an ordeal, which he described as “like aimlessly roaming in a maze”, to collect the NOC from the FDC.
“In short, just to get a piece of paper which would read ‘FDC has no objection in releasing this film’, they [FDC] charged me Tk 2,95,000.”
Sumon broke down the charges as well.
“Tk 75,000 for the directors’ guild membership, Tk 1,05,000 for producers’ guild membership, Tk 5,000 for miscellaneous expenditure, Tk 1,00,000 to become a BFDC subscriber, and Tk 10,000 as service charge - That’s what a filmmaker is asked to pay before they can get their hands on the NOC.”
Sumon said he had written to the prime minister in minute detail about his troubles and the state of FDC.
WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF FDC?
There was a time when Bangladesh’s film industry revolved around FDC.
That’s hardly the case anymore.
Independent filmmakers have been dominating the industry lately, especially in the last decade, who had no prior connections with the FDC.
But before releasing their films, they are bound to knock on the FDC’s doors, as pre-historic norms dictate, with their hats in their hands.
Defining the exorbitant charges as extortion, Sumon said there is no mention of the NOC, which FDC says is a mandatory instrument, in the Censorship of Films Act, the Bangladeshi law that regulates censorship of cinematograph films and for the decertification of certified films on certain grounds.
“I don’t understand why these charges are levied on us, the indie filmmakers. We don’t use FDC facilities. Is it justified for FDC to charge us these fees?” Sumon asked.
The question was raised to Md Saifullah, the incumbent vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board.
“The relevant ministry [Ministry of Cultural Affairs] has a directive in this regard. The directive was that filmmakers need to collect a NOC from FDC to get clearance from the censor board,” he said.
He, however, said he did not know whether filmmakers are forced to pay a sizable amount for the NOC.
Nikesh Kumar Barua, deputy director of FDC’s finance department, defended parts of the charges, which Sumon said made no sense to him.
“A file needs to be opened when a filmmaker asks us to issue a NOC. We also have to carry out some boiler-plate administrative investigations; like whether the filmmaker used FDC facilities before and if he/she has any dues. We charge Tk 15,000 for these investigations,” he said.
“The filmmakers who have used FDC facilities to shoot their films have to pay extra to get the NOC.”
Sumon said he finds no reason to use FDC facilities.
“Why would I use their facilities? They charge massively and do not provide the services filmmakers require. I can get better services from private-owned studios at half the budget. FDC is extorting us. This is not right,” he said.
Some other indie filmmakers, interviewed by bdnews24.com for this article, have echoed Sumon’s allegations that FDC does not issue any NOC unless the filmmakers pay the charges for directors' and producers' guilds.
Defending these charges, film producer Khorshed Alam Khosru, also a former president of the producer-distributor guild, said having these memberships has its perks.
“A filmmaker can use the FDC facilities in credit up to Tk 4 million,” he said.
Sumon dismissed Khosru’s defence.
“It’s up to me whether I would like to become a member of a certain guild or association. There’s a major question of affordability as well,” Sumon said.
Some other filmmakers trolled these guild charges as FDC’s attempt to collect funds for a hypothetical ‘Save FDC’ project.
Moviyana Film Society’s President Belayat Hossain Mamun was one of them.
“FDC has lost its relevance. People involved with it are racking up these bills to ensure the survival of a good-for-nothing institution by making indie filmmakers hostages,” he said.
Belayat also alleged that the so-called guilds that have benefitted from these charges are not working to take the industry forward, rather time and time again, they proved to be a hindrance.
“People in these guilds are locked in in-fighting and office politics. They have no agenda or intention to take this industry forward,” he said.
POST CLEARANCE STRUGGLE
The hardship is not over for releasing the cinema even after receiving the certificate. Filmmaker Mohammad Qayyum, who recently made the cinema ‘Kura Pokkhir Shunney Ura’ realised it too. He released his movie on Nov 4 after facing a lot of hurdles.
“When I was about to release my movie, the one I made after a lot of troubles, I had to pay the FDC and film organisation while we never sought their cooperation to make the movie or to screen it.”
The filmmakers need to pay more than TK 100,000 to the Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association only for them to decide the release date of a movie. “It is mandatory to become a member of the association and pay an annual fee only to decide which movies get released in which week. How logical is that?”
Due to some complications with the committee, Deputy Secretary Khandaker Nurul Haque of the commerce ministry is now the administrator of the Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association. When asked he said he was holding the post temporarily and was unable to provide any details about the aforementioned rule.
Membership in the association is mandatory to release a movie in the movie theatres, said Khorshed Alam Khosru, former president of the producer-distributor association. The membership charge is Tk 120,000 with an annual fee of Tk 2,500, he added.
One cannot release a movie commercially in the cinema hall until they are a member of the association, said its office secretary Soumen Roy Babu. “The cinema hall owners won’t screen the movie if the maker isn’t a member.”
Qayyum, who made the film ‘Kura Pokkhir Shunnye Ura,’ complained that the association fixed the release date of his film but never helped with its screening. “They scheduled Nov 4 to release my film. Then I went door to door but none of the cinema hall owners was willing to screen it. They didn't want to screen a movie with an offbeat storyline and asked me which film stars had featured in it. Later we convinced Star Cineplex to screen it,” he said.
“While the association never helped me in screening the film, why would I pay them and get a release date?”
Leader of the producers’ association Khorshed Alam Khosru believed the non-existence of an elected committee in the Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association was the reason behind all problems. He believed that an elected committee is always accountable to the members. But currently, a government official is working as an ‘administrator’ as there is no elected committee.
Filmmaker Qayyum solicited the government’s initiatives for those who make films without calculating the commercial benefits.
Citing the example of Nandan in the neighbouring Indian city of Kolkata, he said it was obvious that cinema hall owners would not like to screen experimental films bearing the financial loss. “But we don’t even have any government initiative to screen such films. We should have a film centre at least.”
WILL THERE BE A CHANGE IN POLICY?
The entire process of making a film and then releasing it has turned into a maze, believe those involved in making the independent type of films. "At the beginning of this process, the producer wants to know who the film stars featured in the film are, who's the hero and heroine. When the director says his film has a storyline that doesn't require celebrity film stars but actors, the producer steps back from investing in the film," said filmmaker Qayyum.
To translate their dreams into reality, some people invest their entire fortune to make the film and then begin another struggle to get a censor certificate, he said.
"After bagging the censor certificate, next comes the harassment by the film organisations. In every step, you have to pay money. After that firefighting, you roll back to face the same old questions of 'who's the hero, heroine,' as the cinema hall owners don't agree to screen a film which doesn't feature a film star."
The requirement of a NOC from the FDC for having a censor certificate is "totally wrong", believed Morshedul Islam, a filmmaker honoured with the National Film Award.
"We feel like a hostage and have been demanding an end to it. The filmmakers of independent streams won't be able to work if there's no government initiative," he said.
“Who will endure all of this harassment and make films? Our young generation is making different experimental films. We need to provide them with a suitable environment."
His words were reiterated by famed filmmaker and cultural personality Nasiruddin Yusuf.
"A censor board certification would require a NOC from the FDC or other organisations there-- this is nothing but a domineering mentality. We must get rid of it. Film or any form of art must have a free environment to thrive," he said.
Censor board member Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar believes the NOC of FDC is an unnecessary thing, but he supports the requirement of association membership.
"Those who didn't work in the FDC, why would they be required to have a NOC from it? But it's logical to be a member of the filmmakers' association to ensure discipline. Lawyers, doctors or any other professionals have their own association. It ensures accountability."
To know about the government's current position on the issue, bdnews24.com called Information and Broadcast Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khondaker but he did not receive the call.
Additional secretary at the information ministry Md Jahangir Alam said the ministry is reviewing the requirement of FDC's NOC for having a censor certificate and would make a decision soon.
[Written in English by Adil Mahmood and Sabrina Karim Murshed]
