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The 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) wrapped up on Sunday, with the Chinese film 'The Cord of Life,' directed by Qiao Sixue, clinching the Best Film accolade for this year.
In the realm of Bangladeshi and Bengali language films, the Audience Award went to the Syam Benegal-directed biopic 'Mujib: The Making of a Nation,' which revolves around Bangabandhu.
Additionally, the Special Audience Award was bestowed upon the Indian-Bengali film 'Bijoyar Pore' (Autumn Flies), directed by Abhijit SriDas.
Pantho Prosad-directed ‘Sabittri’ (A Burning Soul) received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Full-Length Feature Film, Baishaki Somadder directed ‘Laila’ received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Short Film, Best Cinematography went to the Bangladesh-France-Greece joint-production film ‘Mighty Afrin - In the Time of Floods’ and ‘Surot’ (Reflection of Life) won the Special Mention at the Spiritual Film Section, reports UNB.
A total of 18 awards were given in different categories at the closing ceremony of the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival, at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum in the capital, organised by the Rainbow Film Society.
The closing ceremony was joined by the State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammed Ali Arafat, while globally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, eminent Indian-Bengali actress Sharmila Tagore, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Mokammel Hossain, and Bangladesh National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman, among others.
Presided over by DIFF Chief Patron and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam MP, the ceremony was also joined by Dhaka International Film Festival’s maestro Director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, festival committee member M Hamid, and DIFF Chairperson Kishwar Kamal.
In the Asian Cinema Competition Section, the Best Director award went to Jagath Manuwarna for ‘Rahas Kiyana Kandu’ (Whispering Mountains). Popular Indian-Bengali singer-filmmaker Anjan Dutt received the Best Actor Award for his brilliant performance in the role of his maestro Mrinal Sen in his directorial film ‘Chalchitra Ekhon’ (Kaleidoscope Again), while the Best Actress Award went to the Chinese actress Badema for ‘The Cord of Life’, the Best Film at the 22nd DIFF.
The award for Best Screenplay Writing went to Dov" (Fortune), directed by Muhiddin Muzaffar (Tajikistan), and the Best Cinematography award was handed over to ‘Mighty Afrin - In the Time of Floods’, directed by Angelos Rallis (Bangladesh, France, Greece).
As for the Women Filmmakers Section, Nancy Svendsen (USA) directed ‘Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest’ won the Best Documentary Award, while the Best Feature Film Award went to the Iranian film ‘Ashghal-ha va Arousak-ha’ (Junks & Dolls), directed by Manijeh Hekmat. South Korean filmmaker Gyeongmu NOH won Best Director for the film ‘How to Get Your Man Pregnant’, and Bangladeshi filmmaker Chaitali Somadder received the Special Mention for ‘Mukti’ in this section.
The Spiritual Films Section recognised this year’s submission by awarding the Best Feature Film to the Russian film ‘Tuda I Obratno’ (There and Back), directed by Oleg Asadulin, and ‘Kunanfinda: The Land of Death’, directed by Hansel Leyva Fanego (Cuba) received the award for the Best Documentary while Golam Rabbani-directed Bangladeshi film ‘Surot’ received the Special Mention award.
Meanwhile, the Best Children Film Badal Rahman Award went to ‘Pravas’ (Pravas the Tour), directed by Vipul Sharma (India).
From January 20, the 22nd DIFF featured 252 films from 71 countries, including Bangladesh, India, China, Turkey, Iran, the United States, Sri Lanka and others. Films were screened at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium (main auditorium) and Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum, National Art Gallery Auditorium and Jatiya Sangeet and Nrityakala Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Academy Auditorium, and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital.
Besides the screenings, the 22nd DIFF also featured the '10th International Women Filmmakers Conference' on the role of women in films from January 21-22 and West Meets East: Screenplay Lab from January 15 to 18 at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka.
This year, the festival also hosted a day-long master class with eminent film scholar Dr Shi Chuan, Deputy Chair of the Shanghai Film Association of China, globally renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and Indian filmmaker, actor and singer Anjan Dutt.
Rainbow Film Society has been organising the Dhaka International Film Festival since 1992 with the theme Better Film, Better Audience, Better Society.
List of Awards winners:
Children Films Session Best Children Film Badal Rahman Award
‘Pravas (Pravas the Tour)’ directed by Vipul Sharma. Duration: 95min. Country: India
Audience Award
‘Mujib: Ekti Jatir Rupokar (Mujib: The Making of a Nation)’
Direction: Shyam Benegal.
Country: Bangladesh, India
Special Audience Award
‘Bijoyar Pore (Autumn Flies)’
Direction: Abhijit Sri Das.
Country: India
Spiritual Film Section Best Feature Film:
Tuda I Obratno (There and Back)
Direction: Oleg Asadulin
Country: Russia
Best Documentary:
Kunanfinda: The Land of Death
Direction: Hansel Leyva Fanego
Country: Cuba
Special Mention Award:
‘Surot (Reflection of Life)’
Direction: Golam Rabbani
Country: Bangladesh
Women Filmmakers Section Best Feature Film:
Ashghal-ha va Arousak-ha (Junks & Dolls)
Direction: Manijeh Hekmat
Country: Iran
Best Documentary:
‘Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest’
Direction: Nancy Svendsen
Country: USA
Best Director:
Gyeongmu NOH
Film: How to Get Your Man Pregnant
Country: South Korea
Special Mention:
‘Mukti’ directed by Chaitali Somadder
Country: Bangladesh
