‘Nonajoler Kabbo’, ‘Mayar Jonjal’ selected for 12th edition of IFFM

Bangladesh filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s 2020 film ‘Nona Joler Kabbo’ (The Salt in Our Waters) and Indo-Bangla joint venture film ‘Mayar Jonjal’ (Debris of Desire) have been selected for screening at the 12th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).

A total of seven Bengali films will be screened at this year’s event scheduled to take place from August 12 to 30 in Australia’s Melbourne.

Marking Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s debut feature film, ‘Nona Joler Kabbo’ stars Fazlur Rahman Babu, Shatabdi Wadud, Titas Zia, Tasnova Tamanna and Ashok Bepari in pivotal roles.

Set in a coastal area of Bangladesh, the film is about the relocation of a young sculptor who faces the local community’s age-old customs and taboos to practise art.

A joint venture of Bangladesh and Kolkata, ‘Mayar Jonjal’ is based on renowned Bengali writer-novelist Manik Bandopadhyay’s two short stories -- ‘Bishakto Prem’ and ‘Shubala’.

Produced by Bangladesh’s Josim Ahmed and directed by Indranil Roychowdhury, the film stars Aupee Karim and Ritwik Chakraborty in the lead roles.

The storyline of the film is about a man, who is involved in low-level offenses, and at one stage, falls in love with a sex worker.

Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Dwitiyo Purush’, Indranil Aneek Chaudhuri’s ‘Jharokh’, Parambrata Chatterjee’s ‘Abhijaan’, Subhrajit Mitra’s ‘Avijatrik’, Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Dwitiyo Purush’, and Ashrujit Nandi’s ‘Shimul Palash Katha’ are five other Bengali films to be screened at the festival in different categories.

A total of 100 films in 26 languages will take part in this year’s festival.