Bangladeshi actress Mehazabien Chowdhury made history this week by becoming the first Bangladeshi actress to attend the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Her debut film, "Saba," had its world premiere at the festival on September 7.
During the festival, Chowdhury had the chance to meet acclaimed Hollywood actress Naomi Watts, known for her performances in “21 Grams” (2003), “The Impossible” (2012), “The Ring” (2002), and “King Kong” (2005), among others. Watts is attending the festival for her film The Friend, a drama about heartbreak, art, and a very big dog.
Mehazabien shared her excitement on social media, posting a photo with Watts and captioning it as her "fangirl moment" at TIFF.
Saba had its world premiere on September 7, with its first screening held on Saturday. Despite her attendance at the festival, Chowdhury was unable to secure a ticket to the opening show as the event sold out within hours of ticket release. The film was shown again on Sunday, and a third screening is scheduled for September 14.
Directed by Maksud Hossain in his feature film debut, Saba tells the story of a young woman in Dhaka who becomes the sole caregiver for her paraplegic mother. The script, co-written by Hossain and his wife Trilora Khan, draws inspiration from Khan’s personal experience of caring for her mother for 25 years.
Following the sudden death of his father-in-law due to Covid-19, Hossain was inspired to portray the struggles of a lower-middle-class woman who faces the challenges of caregiving without family or financial support.
Joining Mehazabien in the film are veteran actor Rokeya Prachy and acclaimed art house actor Mostafa Monwar.
