Configuring Masculinities through the camera 

“Configuring Masculinities through the Camera”: A cross-border conversation between two independent Filmmakers
Following the film screenings of the two Bengali Films, The Last Post Office by Aung Rakhine and Cat Sticks by Ronny Sen under the M3 Exhibition: Let no one mistake us for the fruit of Violence, curated by Vidisha Fadescha jointly organized by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh and the Drik Picture Library, the two filmmakers joined us in an online cross-border conversation to discuss about their individual film journeys, their ideas on Masculinity and its portrayal in films.
Aung Rakhine talks about his journey as a Bangladeshi Indigenous filmmaker and how he perceived the portrayal of Masculinity in Mainstream Bengali films and the lack of the concept in the indigenous culture and how he represents that in his films.
Ronny Sen shares his experience of being a photographer and making his first film. He also shares his perception on the male gaze operating in films, the portrayal of Masculinity and as an artists what one can do to challenge these representations.
Aung Rakhine:
Aung Rakhine is one of the aspiring indigenous filmmakers who are, despite various barriers, struggling hard to come out with their own stories. My Bicycle is Aung’s first feature film, and the first feature film to be made in an indigenous language in Bangladesh. His feature film “The Last Post Office” had its world premiere at Locarno Film Festival’s Open-Door Section and was selected at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in 2019.
Ronny Sen
Ronny Sen is a Kolkata-based film director, writer and photographer. His debut feature film Cat Sticks premiered in the competition section at Slamdance, 2019 where it won a Grand Jury award. He has previously directed television documentaries for the BBC. He started his career as a photographer and has published two artist books, Khmer Din (2013) and End of Time (2016). He received the Getty Images Instagram Grant in 2016 for his work in Jharia coal mines which was shown in his second solo exhibition at TARQ, Mumbai in 2018 titled, Fire Continuum.
The discussion was moderated by Mormee Mahtab, Goethe-Institut Bangladesh.