A&L Nov_2018

DLF 2018
GARGA CHATTERJEE
Garga Chatterjee is a Kolkata-based commentator
of culture and South Asian politics.
He is a faculty at the Indian Statistical Institute,
Kolkata. He writes in Bangla, Hindi
and English and has been published widely
in the region: India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
He regularly appears as a political commentator
in Al Jazeera, BBC, DW, NDTV, India
Today, Republic TV, ET Now, 24 Ghanta, R Plus,
Bangla Time, CN, Channel 24, etc.
AMITABH REZA CHOWDHURY
Amitabh Reza Chowdhury is a prominent
film and advertisement director in Bangladesh.
He has directed nearly 1500 television
commercials and a few television films to
critical acclaim. He founded the production
house Half Stop Down, which mainly
produces TVCs. Amitabh’s directorial debut
in theatrical feature film is the blockbuster Aynabaji
which was released in September 2016. He is
also an adjunct faculty of University of Liberal Arts (ULAB).
Chatterjee is also a
Brain Scientist from
MIT whose who
received his PhD from
Harvard University
(2006-2011) in the
Cognition, Brain, and
Behavior track and did
his post-doctoral training
at the Department
of Brain and Cognitive
Sciences, MIT.
A mother-language
rights activist, he
thinks, “When the
administration
conspires against this
fundamental identity…
the result is likely
to be what happened
in Bangladesh—a war
of independence.”
Ghilu: The Chatterjee
Lab of Brain, Cognition
& Society at ISI
Kolkata—founded by
Chatterjee—experiments
brain science
& cognitive neuroscience.
Amitabh was sent to
Pune, India by his
family to study Economics,
but he studied
literature on his own to
make his film-making
dream come true.
His first television
film named Hawa
Ghar (1999) and the
first 20-episodes of
the TV series Bondhon
(2001-2002) under
Maasranga Production
gained wider
popularity in Bangladesh.
Amitabh has won the
Best Director’s award
National Film Awards,
Bangladesh 2016 for
his film Aynabaji,
which also has won 7
other awards
SALLY POMME CLAYTON
Sally Pomme Clayton is an internationally
acclaimed storyteller and writer. She brings
fairy tales, forgotten myths, and epics to
new life. She creates and performs stories
for everyone, almost anywhere. She has
published more than 10 children’s books,
her latest The King with Dirty Feet (Otter-Barry
Books, 2018) inspired by a folktale from Bengal.
Her next book is The Phoenix of Persia (Tiny
Owl Books, 2019). Clayton is an experienced and inspiring educator,
trainer of storytelling, and creative writing.
One of Amitabh's much discussed projects
is a film titled Rickshaw Girl, which
is based on the novel of the same title
by Mitali Perkins. The screenplay of this
film—about a Bangladeshi girl who starts
pulling her father’s rickshaw to earn some
extra money for the family by disguising
herself as a boy—is written by Bangladeshi-American
writer Sharbari Z. Ahmed.
SANDRO KOPP
Clayton is a pioneer of
modern Storytelling
who has been a professional
storyteller since
1983.
She has mesmerised
the audience in Soho
Theatre, The London
Philharmonic
Orchestra, The Royal
Opera House, and The
British Museum.
She co-founded The
Company of Storytellers
with Ben Haggarty
and Hugh Lupton.
Sandro Kopp is a German/New Zealand visual
artist. His figurative oil painting explores ideas
of mediated presence employing varied
approaches to observing and reinventing
what it means to paint from life. His work has
been exhibited around the world, including
Lehmann Maupin, New York, Sammlung Friedrichshof,
Vienna and Victoria Miro, London. His
next show will open in Venice in May 2019. Besides
painting he works in photography, sculpture and film.
The King With Dirty Feet
A whimsical story about a foolish King and
his servant who must meet the King’s silly
demands. This delightful folktale includes
a surprise with a charming twist at the
end. The story also shows how wisdom
can come from surprising sources. A timeless,
imaginative story with important lessons
to share for young, emerging readers.
Fun for children to read aloud or act out
the plot.
Kopp is primarily
known for the ongoing
series of portraits
painted over Skype
that examine the
intersection between
classical portrait
painting and digital
media.
Kopp played various
characters in The Lord
of the Rings trilogy
including a Coronation
Elf, an Elf Warrior, a
Rivendell Elf, a Gondorian
Soldier, a Rohirrim
Rider, a Soldier
of the Dead, an Orc, a
Haradrim, a Corsair of
Umbar, and an Uruk-Hai
He shot still photographs
for several
movies as well as
contributing to other
departments on films.
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ARTS & LETTERS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018 | DHAKA TRIBUNE