The Bangladeshi short film "Darkak" has brought home a prestigious award from India's 10th Shimla International Film Festival.
Directed by emerging filmmaker Zayed Siddiqui, the film was honoured with the Special Critics' Award at the festival, which concluded on August 18 in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Siddiqui, who personally received the award at the closing ceremony, expressed his gratitude for the recognition. The film had previously competed for the Best International Short Film Award at the festival.
The award-winning filmmakers were celebrated by the festival's chief guest, Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla. Bollywood actress Seema Biswas and festival director Pushpa Raj Thakur were also in attendance at the closing ceremony.
Inspired by a short story by renowned Bangladeshi author Shahidul Zahir, Siddiqui wrote the screenplay and dialogues for "Darkak" and also produced the film. The film features the acclaimed actor Jayanta Chattopadhyay in the lead role, along with a talented ensemble cast.
Siddiqui emphasised that the award was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire cast and crew. He expressed his hope that this achievement would motivate them to continue their creative endeavours.
"Darkak" has also garnered international attention, securing global distribution deals with Australia-based Screen Scope and US-based Seven Palms Entertainment. This will allow the film to reach a wider audience worldwide.
In addition to its success at the Shimla International Film Festival, "Darkak" has been selected for screening at three other prestigious film festivals: the 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in Australia, the 13th DC South Asian Film Festival in the United States, and another festival yet to be announced.
