On 16thNovember 2018, city Kolkata witnessed an event 1sttime of its kind. Hundreds of filmmakers &artists from all over the world came to the City of Joy to celebrate the joy of creation.To explore the cinema with no border and to encourage risk taking independent filmmakers, the Critics of CULT CRITIC film magazine organized the 1stannual JEAN LUC GODARD AWARDS at Rotary Sadan, Kolkata CCMA is an organization dedicated to the discovery and development of new Artists and Audiences. Cult Critic Movie Awards™ (CCMA) is an INTERNATIONAL LIVE SCREENING FILM FESTIVAL which seeks to support and inspire independent film and theatre artists from all over the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. Shailik Bhaumik, the Chairman of Cult Critic Movie Awards says “ We accepts works of all lengths, genres, dates of completion, and countries of origin. Films have no premiere requirements or screening restrictions and may be released or unreleased. Screenplays have no prior film distribution restrictions and may be produced or unproduced” The annual Gala started at 9 AM with the fabulous of Red carpet event. Then the inauguration and lamp lighting took place, on that day the live screening event, as well as the press conference and in the afternoon award ceremony event and cultural, programmed was making the day wonderful. More than 100 of filmmakers joined this glamorous event. Not only filmmakers many of the honorable personalities join the event. The following personalities were present in the event as the honorable guests-
Mr. ShyamalSen, Former Chief Justice of Kolkata High Court Mr.GoutamGhosh, Film Director
Mr.ChandanSen, Actor Mrs.RitaDuttaChakraborty, Actor Mrs.DeboleenaDutta, Actor Mr.FabricePlancon, Director, Alliance Francaise Mrs. Mom Ganguly, Eminent Classical Dancer Dr. Mala Moitra, Director-Film Division of WB Govt.
Mr.Shailik Bhoumik, Chairman of HLC
In this event, the most acclaimed film directors and cinematographer of modern India, MR. GOUTAM GHOSH was honored by Lifetime Achievement Award. In his speech, Mr. Ghosh shared the experience of his journey to the film industry as well as he gave some tips to the independent filmmakers about the art of visual storytelling. The festival has a wide range of submission categories (Approx 50 categories) from Narrative Feature Film, Documentary, Short Film…..to Drone Film, Experimental Film and Virtual Reality Film. After the inaugural event around 80 international, as well as Indianfilms were screened in front of the live audience. Mostly the award-winning movies of the festival were screened to this event; some movies touched directly the heart of the audiences. After the screening of each film the film festival committee invited the respective film directors and Artists of the film to share their creative vision with the audience. In the evening, the Award Ceremony took place along with a colorful cultural program.The cultural program covered the mainly the wide spectrum of Indian cultures, which represented various tradition of the Indian civilization. An amazing singing and dance performance also took place in between the Award Ceremony, which made the audience mesmerizing. Apart from encouraging the risk-taking independent filmmakers, Cult Critic, which is also known as the voice of independent filmmakers, took a unique initiative to discover and showcase art-house independent cult cinema of recent time. The film festival committee identified 8 independent films from various countries as the CULT CLASSIC CINEMA and honored the filmmakers with the medal of recognition and certificates. Finally the program was ended with a happy note and promise to every filmmaker that the next year it will be grand event with lots of new avenues for the independent filmmakers who dare to dream.