BRAC University students have recently won multiple prestigious awards at the Open Society University Network (OSUN) Film Festival. The festival was held online and featured 25 student-made videos, the final projects of the "Visual Storytelling for Student Engagement" course in the Fall 2023 semester. This collaborative course was offered at seven universities worldwide, including Bard College, the European Humanities University, HUBS at Kakuma Refugee Camp, the American University of Central Asia, the School of International and Public Affairs, and UniAndes.
Under the guidance of Senior Lecturer Dina Hossain, BRAC University, they excelled in the "CST 304, Documentary Film - Theory and Practice" course designated as a General Education Course. Out of the 25 videos showcased, 11 received honors across eight categories, as determined by a distinguished jury of OSUN leaders.
BRAC University secured the highest number of awards among participating universities. The three award-winning videos are:
- "Road Safety Movement 2018: Are We Safe Yet?" by Prodipta Hasin, Anindita Hossain Rhine, Imranul Ahsan Moonim, and Imtiaz Sarker Shihab, recognized for its outstanding script.
- "Food Waste in Bangladesh" by Sakib Sadi, Saklain Nizam Thakur, Muhtasim Billah Nahin, and Tanzila Parveen, celebrated for their exceptional environmental stewardship.
- "Fading Tides, Rising Hope: The Fight to Save Dhaka's Dying Waterbodies" by Tahjid Ahsan, Nazmul Hasan, Fatin Nur Ishraq, and Omar Ibtesam Nibir honored for their remarkable contributions to civic engagement.
The OSUN Film Festival took place on December 12, 2023. It attracted over 100 attendees, including OSUN Vice-Chancellor Jonathan Becker, BRAC University School of General Education Dean Samia Huq, OSUN Director of Communications Bonnie Goad, faculty members from participating educational institutions, and talented student filmmakers themselves.
For those interested in viewing the award-winning videos, clips from all entries can be accessed here.