A three-day film festival titled Ekannabarti began at Jahangirnagar University on Tuesday.

The JU vice-chancellor Nurul Alam inaugurated the festival on Zahir Raihan Auditorium premises.

Among others, the JU pro-vice-chancellor Sheikh Manzurul Haque, director of the JU Teacher-Student Centre Professor Ahmed Reza and filmmaker Fakhrul Arefin Khan were present at the inaugural ceremony.

The film festival, organised by the JU TSC-based cultural organisation Zahir Raihan Film Society, is featuring short films, feature films, masterclass, discussions, directors’ roundtable, artistes’ talk, open discussions, script lab, acoustic night and awards ceremony.

The festival began with a film appreciation class conducted by filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury at the Zahir Raihan Auditorium.

Later, a discussion on sustainable work environment for women in the film industry was held at the same venue. It was moderated by Professor  Parvin Jolly.

Producer Mahjabin Reza Chowdhury, director Raka Noshin Nower, sound designer Sharmin Doza Tithy and costume designer Edila Farid Turin were present as discussants at the session.

The organisers also staged a protest programme against censorship on films during the inaugural ceremony. Activists wearing body painting participated in the protest programme.

Khandaker Sumon-directed film Satao was screened on the opening day.

The festival is also scheduled to screen Indranil Roy Chowdhury-directed Mayar Jonjal and Mejbaur Rahman Sumon-directed Hawa.

Besides, the festival is featuring 18 short films.

Faizer Md Shaolin, a coordinator of the festival, said, ‘Top five short films, made by young directors, will be awarded at the festival.’

Indian filmmaker and scriptwriter Indranil Roy Chowdhury will conduct a two-day class titled Script Lab on Script Writing on the second and third day of the festival.

The festival will end on Thursday. The concluding day will feature an awards ceremony scheduled to be held at the Selim Al Deen Muktamancha.