Utpal Borpujari

Utpal Borpujari is a highly acclaimed film critic and director of an Indian origin who belongs to Assam, India. He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology with an M.Tech in Applied Geology (Roorkee). Utpal has been an active member of the Film Critics Circle of India and has won numerous awards throughout his career. Utpal's passion for filmmaking led him to venture into the world of direction. For his first feature film, Ishu, he received the National Film Award and five Assam State Film Awards in 2018.The movie was critically acclaimed and showcased Utpal's talent as a director.

In 2003, Utpal was awarded the Swarna Kamal for Best Film Critic at the 50th National Film Awards The National Film Awards gets presented every year >> Read More... of India. His sharp and insightful critiques of movies have earned him a reputation as one of the most respected film critics in the country. Utpal Borpujari is a multi-talented individual with extensive experience in film and writing. He holds credits for scriptwriting and direction in various productions. In particular, he directed Mayong: Myth/Reality, Memories of a Forgotten War, Soccer Queens of Rani, Songs of the Blue Hills, For a Durbar of the People, and Ishu, which was produced by the Children's Film Society, India (CFSI).

He has also authored several articles on film, politics, society, literature, and culture for publications such as First Post, DNA, and Outlook, among others. As a journalist, he has covered major international film festivals and edited the official catalog of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on multiple occasions. Utpal is also the co-author of Secret Killings of Assam and the editor/co-author of Assam. As part of BBC Culture's initiatives, a group of 177 film critics was invited to select their top 10 films of the 21st century in 2016. In 2018, another group of 209 film critics was invited to vote for the top 100 world cinema of all time, he was a member of both these groups.

Moreover, he served as a former member of the International Film Critics Federation (FIPRESCI), participating as a jury member in several film festivals including the Montreal World Film Festival, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Osian's Cinefan Film Festival, and MIFF, among others. Over the years, he has curated and consulted various film festivals and events, including the Focus Section on Northeast Cinemas at the International Film Festival of India in 2013, Fragrances from the North East Film Festivals, Tales of Women: North East Cinema, and Young Directors From Northeast India at the International Film Festival of India in Goa.

He also served as an artistic director for the Guwahati CineASA International Film Festival, director of the Guwahati International Short Film Festival, and creative advisor for the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival. He was also a member of the National Science Film Festival pre-selection jury, the Preview Committee for DD Urdu Channel, and the Executive Committee for the Dr. Bhabendranath Saikia Institute of Mass Communication in Guwahati.