Bangladesh will enjoy a strong presence at the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), one of Australia’s most prestigious film festivals. The festival will run from 13 to 23 August, with three Bangladeshi films selected for this year’s line-up in what is being seen as a significant achievement for the country’s cinema.
According to the festival’s official selection list, Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s Roid, Mohammad Touqir Islam’s Delupi and Mahde Hasan’s Balur Nagarite have been selected for the Best Film from the Subcontinent competition. The category features selected films from across South Asia competing for the honour.
The section also includes Nepal’s Ek Muthi Badal and Goodbye Sisters, Afghanistan’s In the Room and No Good Men, and Sri Lanka’s Spying Stars.
Notably, Bangladesh has the highest number of selected films in the category this year. Industry observers view the achievement as further evidence of the growing international recognition of Bangladeshi cinema.
Now in its 17th edition, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has evolved into one of Australia’s leading film festivals over the past 16 years. This year’s programme will screen more than 75 films in 31 languages.
One of the festival’s major highlights will be the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Bollywood classic Lagaan, scheduled for tomorrow. Actor and producer Aamir Khan has already arrived in Melbourne to attend the event, accompanied by his newly married wife Gauri Spratt.
Earlier this year, three Bangladeshi films also participated together at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Alongside Roid and Delupi, Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s Master competed at the festival, where it won the top prize in the Big Screen Competition, creating a new milestone for Bangladeshi cinema.
