‘Saatao’ wins Gautam Buddha Award at Nepal Int’l Film Fest

Khandaker Sumon’s directorial film ‘Saatao’ (Memories of Gloomy Monsoons) bagged the Gautam Buddha Award at the 6th Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF). The film received the award under the World Panorama category. The film was screened on March 17 at the festival.

Producer of the film Sharif Ul Anwar Sazzan, actress Aynun Putul, and representative Mohammad Rafik received the honour at the event.

The festival kicked off on March 16 in Kathmandu. The festival showcased 95 films, which were selected from over 250 submissions from 60 countries across the world. Three Bangladeshi films were featured in the festival, Jibon Shahadat’s ‘Nameplate’ in the short live action category, Noor Imran Mithu’s ‘Patalghar’; and Khandaker Sumon’s ‘Saatao’, in the World Panorama category.

The story of ‘Saatao’ revolves around the life struggles of farmers and the universal struggles of women from marginalized backgrounds.

The story of the film goes as Fazlu, a farmer, worries that his wife Putul will get lonely, staying home alone. So he gives her a cow. Thus, Putul gets a new companion and starts forgetting the pain of leaving her father’s house.

Meanwhile, farmers like Fazlu are struggling as a result of the poor environmental situation.

The movie also casts Sabera Yasmin, Tashmita Shimu, and Mitu Sarkar, among others. Earlier, the film had its national premiere at the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) on January 20. The film also won the Best Film Award from FIPRESCI Jury under the Bangladesh Panorama section at DIFF