BRAC University hosts ‘Small File Media Festival Bangladesh’ showcasing eco-friendly short films

The Department of English and Humanities of BRAC University hosted a C on the Merul Badda campus recently, featuring 11 “eco-friendly” short films that addressed environmental issues with minimal carbon footprints.

The festival was an international collaboration with Small File Media Festival (https://www.smallfile.ca) of the School for the Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University in Canada, according to a media release. 

It included films created by BRAC University students through workshops held from October to December this year.

The workshops were led by Mohammad Zaki Rezwan, Senior Lecturer at the Department of English and Humanities, and Dr. Laura Marks, founder of Small File Media Festival and professor at Simon Fraser University.

Small file media reduces the carbon footprint of streaming by offering low-bandwidth films with small file sizes, averaging just one megabyte per minute. This allows the films to be streamed with minimal environmental impact.

Founded in 2020, Small File Media Festival is a media-arts festival that raises awareness about the environmental impact of streaming media, which is calculated to contribute 1 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

The event was attended by Dr. Susan Vize, UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, as chief guest, alongside media scholar Oliur Rahman Sun and climate advocate Sohanur Rahman as special guests.

Dr. Firdous Azim, Chairperson of the Department of English and Humanities, praised the initiative for raising awareness of the environmental impact of media consumption through innovative, sustainable filmmaking practices.

Dr. Laura Marks shared a recorded message highlighting the festival’s mission to inspire low-carbon, aesthetically innovative films.

Dr. Susan Vize emphasized the cultural connection to sustainable development. Sohanur Rahman and Oliur Rahman Sun advocated for individual and global actions to reduce carbon footprints.

The 11 short films that were screening were created by BRAC University students.

They were “Harmony of Heart and Hustle” by Sakib Sadi, “Abdullah” by Nazmul Hasan, “Wild and Free” by Sumaiya Shams Joyeeta, “Elysium” by Nakshatra Roy, “The Veil of Corrosion” by Md. Tahjid Ahsan, “Last Hour” by Md. Mir Showkat Hossain, “Living with Nature” by Mahjabin Ahmed Mumu, “Wondering Wandering” by Mahmudul Hasan Akhand, “Lost Playgrounds” by Fariha Shahin, “Pollution Production” by Faria Islam Dipti, and “Pain” by Asifur Rahman.