Friday, October 07, 2005
Matir Moyna( Clay bird) - 2002
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Another movie set during the bangladesh's independence time. It gives a view of that time period through many characters and mainly through anu(Nurul Islam Bablu),the son of a kazi(Jayanto Chattopadhyay).
The kazi who was a modern man, suddenly changes and becomes a devout muslim. He sends his son to study in a madrassa.At the madrassa anu is exposed to hardline islamism and meets Rokon(Russell Farazi).Rokon is a misfit at the madrassa and he faces lot of problems for not following the madrassa rules.
Halopathic doctor by profession the kazi denies english treatment for his daughter's ailment and becomes responsible for her death. Meanwhile the freedom struggle continues and the destructive pakistan army comes to the village. what happens to the kazi family is the res tof the story.
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This movie again takes a dig at the fundamental elements of the bangladeshi society. The madrassa system comes under heavy criticism by the director, who's personal experiences at the madrassa's have helped him in making this movie.In madrass a misfit like Rokon, has to go through so much because he does not want to confirm to the rules.The movie depicts how the madrassa system hampers a person from being imaginative and individual. It also hits at the fundamentalists like the kazi, who staunchly oppose the scientific advancements and embrace the age old Islamic practices.
The movie unlike the previous ones has good production values. Even though it gives a true account of the fundamentalist elements of the bangladeshi society, i felt it was kind of one sided.More like a movie taken to please the western audience.
The Bangladeshi Government had first refused to issue a censor certificate for Matir Moyna, saying it gave a distorted image of the madrasa system, and that it could hurt feelings in this Muslim-dominated country. The movies popularity, wide recognition and protest from many peoples have made the government lift the ban. It went on to become the first bangladeshi movie to be nominated for oscars.
Matir Moyna is not only the first Bangladeshi film to be nominated for an Oscar, it was the first film from this country that opened the director's fortnight screening of the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.
Links
Official website
motir moina in BBC
Appeal to remove the ban
Bird Thou Never Wert!
Matir moina in screen