The BENGAL FILM JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION [1] is the oldest Association of Film critics in India, founded in 1937, by the inspiration and determination of the handful of pioneers amongst the then thin section of scribes that were drawn to film journalism with a lofty mission to serve the developing film journalism and film industry.

Members of the Association are drawn from the film section of the entire Press of West Bengal composed of dailies, periodicals and film journals in various languages published from Kolkata. Film correspondents and critics working for any newspaper or periodicals published outside Bengal having their base in Kolkata were also eligible to be members of this Association. West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... , “Calcutta” redirects here. ...

It is not enough to say that this is the oldest Association of its kind in the country, but also the first to institute awards in an endeavor to promote and encourage the production of better films just a year after its inception when the 1st Motion Picture Congress was held in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh) in 1938. Representatives of the association played a vital role in its deliberations. Similarly our Association was fully represented at the Silver Jubilee of the Indian Cinema.

In 1952 when India staged the First International Film Festival, an exhibition on big scale was held in Kolkata Maidan. Exhibition of many antiques on film camera, projector and other accessories, showing the growth of films and development of Indian Film Industry. BFJA had its own stall where it displayed its various magazines, periodicals and journals published from Kolkata, as also the copies of old magazines and journals on films tracing the history of growth of film journalism in this country.

Thereafter, when I.F.F.I. came on the regular circuit of International Film Festivals, BFJA has tendered active assistance and co-operation, whenever called upon to serve on any committee in the interest of making the festival’s success. For the last four years the association have been bringing out special bulletin to commemorate the I.F.F.I. & also hosting reception to the visiting delegates.

Cinema to the members of BFJA, apart from its basic function of providing clean entertainment, is a strong social, cultural and artistic force to help the progressive development of the nation. [2]