Calcutta, My El Dorado

14th May 2026, 5pm onwards 

Anya Theatre Bhavan, Bidhannagar, Kolkata

Organised by Jeevansmriti Archive and Anya Theatre, this is a deeply moving commemorative event held on the birth anniversary of legendary Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen, a man whose cinema shaped the conscience of a generation. The evening opens with a video talk by Kunal Sen, followed by the unveiling of the poster for "Calcutta's Witness Notes" by the celebrated Mamata Shankar. Shiladitya Sen then takes the audience through an evocative talk on Kolkata's witness notes and Mrinal Sen's enduring relationship with the city. The centrepiece of the evening is the screening of "Calcutta, My El Dorado" — a rare, previously unseen documentary directed by Mrinal Sen himself, offering an intimate and personal portrait of the city he loved and interrogated throughout his life. Guests of honour Bibhas Chakraborty and Anupkumar Mittal lend further weight to an evening that is part tribute, part archival revelation, and part cultural celebration. Hosted by Arindam Saha Sardar, this is a rare opportunity to be in the room where film history, memory, and devotion to a great artist come together.