Students line up for children’s film festival on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

March 18: School students of the city are in for a new experience. Instead of enjoying a movie they will now be taking lessons in the art of filmmaking, thanks to the initiative taken by the Jyoti Chitraban (film studio) Society.

The society has organised an exclusive three-day workshop from March 21 in filmmaking and film appreciation for 180 school students. As per the programme, 60 students will be acquainted with camera handling and film editing each day of the workshop, among other things.

“Each school of the city has sent a list of 10 selected students for participating in the workshop,” the society’s secretary Nazreen Ahmed said. She hoped that the good response they had received from the schools would make the event successful.

“I am very excited about attending the workshop as it is the first time I will handle the video camera,” said Jeetu Rajkhowa, a student of Don Bosco School.

This is the society’s first venture in collaboration with the Children’s Film Society, Mumbai, where resource persons will teach the basic principles of filmmaking.

The society has increased the number of students in each batch because of mass participation by the schools. “The actual slot for each batch was 40, but we have increased it to 60,” Ahmed said.

Considering the demand for the course, the society is planning to organise a workshop again this year. “We will try to make it an annual event,” Ahmed added.

Inaugurating the children’s film festival, cultural affairs minister Pranati Phukan hailed the society’s efforts in organising a festival which would entertain and educate young minds.

Addressing the function, society’s chairman Kirip Chaliha said they have also proposed to screen children’s films at the renovated Parbati Prasad Baruah hall every week.

The society will screen six films for children in three days, starting from today. The films are Choo Lenge Akash, Sixer, Bachche Kaam ke Sachche, Haathi ka Anada, Chote Miya Subhanaala and Bhago Bhoot. Among these films, Bachche Kam ke Sachche and Chote Miyan Subhanallah are originally Iranian films, which have been dubbed in Hindi. The film Sixer, directed by Gul Bahar Singh, is about two rival cricket teams where foes turn friends.