Feature

Stranger Festival 2009 at Amsterdam

Imran Firdaus

STRANGER Festival is a European platform for talented young video makers between the ages of 15-25 who upload their self produced and workshop video stories onto StrangerFestival's website. StrangerFestival regards young people as smart individuals with fluid and multiple identities who have a lot to contribute…but how Raihan, a boy from the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh who not only took part but also won the Strangers Award in the oneminutejr, Inside out category.

It started from the Oneminutejr workshop held in Dhaka from 31 May to 5 June 2009 with the support of UNICEF. At the workshop, Raihan was a participant with sixteen other children and he made his own video during the workshop like everyone else. He made a beautiful, subtle 60-second video named Canvas, and by default, his work was submitted to the festival. In one fine morning, he got to know the surprising and unanticipated news that he has been nominated for Strangers Award in the oneminutejr, Inside out category and been invited to take part in academic workshops by the European Cultural Foundation (ECF). This was a big opportunity and honor for him. So, Imran Firdaus, a student of Dhaka University as well as freelance filmmaker and researcher accompanied Raihan Ahmmed as his chaperon and flew to Amsterdam on October 12, 2009. The selected venue for the StrangerFestival was Studio K. The participants completed their reporting at the venue on the 13th morning and took part in the main event from 5:30 pm by signing in for 'Cut it up!' workshop. The whole festival was held for five days and it had seven workshops from 14 to 16 October. On the 16 October evening, Raihan Ahmmed had dinner with the prime jury of the Inside-out category, Frenc Molodvanyi at the Stayokay Hotel. His chaperon, Imran Firdaus was present there at the time. During 'Cut it up!' workshop held on the 14 to 16, both Raihan Ahmmed and Imran Firdaus produced two 60-second animation videos each, which have already been uploaded at www.strangerfestival.com and www.youtube.com. It is noteworthy that from the One-minute jr. workshop of Bangladesh, Rani, Chaiti, Adiba,Raihan and three other productions were regularly exhibited by the authorities of the Stranger Festival while it was being held. Finally came the crucial moment; the award giving ceremony on 17 October 2009 at 9:30 pm, during which, from the Inside out category award, surprising everyone present in the hall, Raihan Ahmmed won the first prize. The achievement and recognition was not only Raihan's but also that of whole Bangladesh. The juries for this category were Ferenc Molodvanyi, Hungary and Stefano Doojies, Netherland. According to them, the best videos were Canvas, Bangladesh, Bon Voyage, Burundi, Manger, Burundi, Ouroboros, Egypt and Pendulum, Kyrgyzstan, among which Raihan's Canvas was considered to be more subject-oriented depicting connection between upper and lower class of the society despite all differences and lastly but mostly for portraying the joyous and colorful side of a child's mind. As a reward, Raihan earned a crest, a certificate and a HDV camera.

The 17th drew the curtains of the biggest Youth Video Festival in Europe.

Raihan Ahammed, with his chaperon Imran Firdaus, came back to Dhaka on 22 October,2009 .

Finally, all thanks to UNICEF Bangladesh, UNICEF New York, The Oneminutejr.Foundation, European Cultural Foundation, Children Television Bangladesh, Anja Musling and Vivian Wen Lie. Without their help, this achievement would never have seen the daylight.