Ashikul Islam

Ashikul is the director of AMI (I) that was awarded for 2004 Kids for Kids Film Festival organized by CIFEJ in association with ECTC in the Greek capital.

Short On AAMI:
"Aami" a twenty minute documentary is on the dreams and aspirations of the inmates of a destitute children's home in suburbs of Kolkata. The 20-minute documentary starts off with a child saying, Do you want to know who I am? Do you want to be my friend?

Come, let me tell you something about myself. The children go on to ask, How do fish sleep with eyes open, why can’t we? If birds fly, why can’t I? Why can’t I swim like a duck? Why do stars disappear when the sun rises?

The documentary was directed by Ashiful Islam and photographed by Saiful Mondol of CCD. Eleven-year-old Ashikul says, Great team spirit made this documentary a success. It was fun to direct my friends. My most memorable part in directing the documentary is the scene in which my friend Babu is slipping while trying to climb a coconut tree. I encouraged him to go on trying and he reaches the top of the tree. He wins against all odds just like each and every one of us have in our orphanage.

Making Of AAMI:
Ashikul's eventful but unfortunate life so far had given him a foresight and vision that is rare for a child so young. All his imaginative abilities came to fore when in a workshop he was asked to suggest what would he like to tell other children if he ever got the chance. " I would like to talk about all the things that older people find too funny to answer, but that are a wonder to us.." apt came the reply.

He was then asked about these wonders that he recounted and also drew out with crayons. Impressed the co-ordinators for the workshop asked him if he could mobilize his peers to do a similar work. The drawing books with riot of colors, smeared with wonders and fantasy were spread out in front of the coordinators who then decided to film these small stories. Ashikul again took the lead and intelligently helped eleven of his fellow inmates enact these wonders. His buddy Alamgir and Saiful helped in with camera direction. The bunch of a dozen kids got to work, one day of rehearsal at the Home and 10 hours of shooting on a hot summer day in various villages around resulted in "Aami", simple tales of innocent children.

About Director:
Ashikul is busy planning for his trip to Athens, a place he remembers from his history textbook, but one that will probably change the course of his future. He beams from ear to ear as his peers look at him with awe and admiration for his novel achievement, he will be the sole representative of India to one of the biggest children's film festival in the world, Kids for Kids Film Festival organized by CIFEJ in association with ECTC in the Greek capital between June 18 and June 21, 2004. His film "Aami" a twenty minute documentary on the dreams and aspirations of the inmates of a destitute children's home in suburbs of Kolkata, where he stays, has been selected for screening in the festival.

The ten year old donned the Director's cap in the making of this "of the children, for the children, by the children" film which was among 35 selections of 120 entries from 23 countries. Provided a passport and visa is obtained, he will be flying to Greece in the second week of June.

The selection of "Aami" in this international film festival brings to Ashikul a rare chance to see the world in a different light. With limited means and resource but a hunger and yearning for a better tomorrow, he has overcome adversities to emerge as a survivor. Life has been a a tough path of struggle for him all along. He had been on his own since the age of four, fending for food and shelter all alone till CCD, an NGO working for child-laborers, abandoned and trafficked children, came to his rescue a few years back.

Born to a widowed mother who begged on the streets for survival, Ashikul had his small fists forced open for alms before he knew. On his mothers' death the four year old was taken in by maternal grand ma to trod along with her in the villages of North 24 Parganas, carrying the begging bowl for her. The older woman too abandoned the infant who could not bring in enough alms. The child who could barely mouth a full sentence was left to fend for himself. Some days later his elder brother Afradul, a laborer in a local leather bag-manufacturing unit took him under his wings. The brotherly concerns were overshadowed by the plight for two meals a day. Himself a twelve-year-old Afradul's day of hard work could hardly provide for his survival, the additional burden of a brother was too much for him to handle. He used to enlist Ashikul' s help in spreading adhesive to leather strips that he would later hammer together, but the younger one, hardly recognized the flip side or the front and delayed his work resulting in decreased wages.

Ashikul was once again turned out. But this time there were no relatives to turn to and therefore arm were stretched for small coins from passers by. The life of the street was too rough for five-year-old, all alone, small coins were snatched, pavement dwellers resented this new entrant. Driven by the plight to survive Ashikul approached the pavement teashop for odd jobs in return of two meals. Small hands busied themselves washing tea cups and serving hot liquor through out the day. Ashikul was learning important chapters of life and maturing fast to cope with the ways of the world.

His next stop was a sweet shop where he bargained for a shelter along with the food. Next he moved to one of the leather bags manufacturing units that employ children on cheap wages in open defiance of child rights and labor laws. He was rescued from here in 2000 by CCD. Life at CCD was a new experience. For a child who has never had anyone offering food and shelter without a price, the Home was a luxury. He was introduced to a different life, hands balancing overflowing teacups or holding nail and hammer were now carrying books, eyes that could not see beyond the fight for next meal, now started dreaming. The seven-year-old was learning to be child for the first time. Now his childhood wonders are taking him to a new world of possibilities and recognition. A dream has certainly come true