Title: Khelna Bati
Artist: Diganta Dey
Award: BuddingWeaver Award
Jury’s Comments:
An enjoyable fairy tale animation film for the children. It is simplistic but tries to capture the big picture. The message, though not very original, is well conveyed.
The story, apparently simple and innocuous, leads spontaneously to a serious lesson about the lost paradise of the beauty and liveability of our natural abodes and the increasing menace of wanton destruction of Nature adversely affecting our habitat and lifestyle. While being enjoyable (especially to the children), the film maintains the simplicity and spontaneity fairly well and drives home the important message without imposing the latter. The film is minimalist in treatment, which is fair enough; but the animation leaves room for a lot of further improvement, and the film could have been more gorgeous and vibrant, especially in the first half.
We are keen to see the filmmaker, with his dreams for a harmonious world, exploring newer ideas.
About the Artist:
Diganta Dey is a self-taught short-film maker and has so far made three short films. Some of his films are nationally and internationally acclaimed. His ’The Silent Wheel’ got Best Experimental Film Award in a national-level festival, which also brought for him the fame as the best director.
His Khelna Bati (My Toy World) bagged the Budding Weaver Award in Chotamota Art Programme March 2016. Khelna Bati is considered as India’s first Chuckimation film and got Special Festival Mention Award in 6th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival. This also got selected in numerous film festivals in national & worldwide like in United Kingdom, South Africa, Spain, and Taiwan.
Presently he is working on his next film project which is based on Mona Lisa painting.
