Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Bangladesh Film Institute
BFI is a non-commercial film school founded in 2005 by Tanvir Mokammel in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Over 1,000+ students have graduated from our programs.
The fee is BDT 4,000 per phase, totaling BDT 8,000 for the full 3-month course.
Yes. Phase 1 is fully online via Zoom, running 4 days a week (Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu) from 7 PM to 9 PM. It is open to students from anywhere.
Register at bfibd.org/our-courses/. You can pay via bKash or Nagad to 01927-525364. Email us at bangladesh.film.institute@gmail.com for any queries.
Yes. Bangladesh Film Institute awards a Certificate of Completion after the student successfully produces their short film in Phase 2 of the course.
Over 1,000 students have completed BFI filmmaking courses since 2005. Many alumni are now working successfully in the Bangladeshi film, television, and media industries.
Bangladesh Film Institute (BFI) offers specialized cinema education programs, including its flagship 3-Month Filmmaking Course (comprising Phase 1 Online Theory and Phase 2 Practical Production), Script Writing Workshop, Cinematography & Camera Workshop, Digital Filmmaking Practical Labs, Film Language & Aesthetics Workshop, and Documentary Making Workshop.
BFI courses and workshops are directed and mentored by acclaimed filmmaker and author Tanvir Mokammel, recipient of the Ekushey Padak and 10 National Film Awards. The programs are coordinated by Sagir Mostofa alongside veteran industry filmmakers and technicians.
The flagship 3-month Filmmaking Course is divided into two distinct 1.5-month phases: Phase 1 consists of online theory classes via Zoom covering World Cinema History, Film Language, Aesthetics, Cinematography, Screenwriting, and Shot Division. Phase 2 is an intensive, practical hands-on program in Dhaka where qualifying students direct their own short film.
The full 3-Month Filmmaking Course is BDT 8,000. The 7-Day Script Writing Workshop is BDT 2,000. The 7-Day Film Language & Aesthetics Workshop is BDT 2,000. The week-long Documentary Making Workshop is BDT 4,000. Fees can be paid via bKash or Nagad.
Hands-on physical training is provided in Phase 2 of the Filmmaking Course (Digital Filmmaking Practical), the Cinematography & Camera Workshop, and practical modules of the Documentary Workshop. These sessions take place in studio and field environments in Dhaka.
There are no strict academic degree prerequisites or prior filmmaking experience required. BFI programs are open to beginners, university students, writers, aspiring directors, photographers, media professionals, and cinema enthusiasts.
Conducted directly by Tanvir Mokammel, this intensive 7-day online workshop covers the complete screenwriting process: adapting literature into screenplays, three-act dramatic structure, scene plotting, character development, writing realistic dialogue, and cinematic shot division.
The Cinematography Workshop covers camera sensor dynamics, optics and lens selection, exposure control, composition and visual framing, camera movements, key light/fill light/mood lighting design, and hands-on shooting exercises.
The Film Language & Aesthetics Workshop is a 7-day online masterclass by Tanvir Mokammel exploring cinema as an autonomous art. Topics include film grammar, mise-en-scène, montage theory, world cinema movements, and sound aesthetics. It is ideal for aspiring directors, screenwriters, critics, and film lovers.
The Documentary Making Workshop provides specialized training in non-fiction filmmaking, covering subject selection, investigative research, documentary treatment and scripting, ethical considerations, field interviewing methods, and camera styles for realism.
Tanvir Mokammel
Founder & Director
Tanvir Mokammel is the founder and director of Bangladesh Film Institute (BFI). He is a renowned Bangladeshi filmmaker and writer who has made eight fiction films and eighteen documentaries. He has also written twenty-eight books, including novels, articles, poems, and short stories. For his exceptional work in filmmaking, he has earned ten National Film Awards and has been honored with the ‘Ekushey Padak’, the second-highest civilian award in Bangladesh.