Following a successful global run, the short film “Chocolate” has been released for Bangladeshi audiences on the TIMES of Bangladesh YouTube channel. Directed by Josim Ahmed and based on true events, the 20-minute fiction film explores the harrowing reality of child abuse.
The domestic release follows the conclusion of a distribution contract with the British firm Shorts International, a prominent distributor of Oscar-nominated short films.
Speaking on the project, Josim Ahmed said “Chocolate” depicts the ongoing abuse faced by children and women – issues that are frequently overlooked on screen.
The film aims to address the pressing question of whether children are safe even within their own homes, particularly in light of recent incidents of abuse in Bangladesh.
The film features an ensemble cast including Golam Farida Chanda, Shatabdi Wadud, Azizul Hakim, and Shilpi Sarkar Apu.
Josim Ahmed’s collaboration with Shorts International began in 2017 with his film “Daag,” via mainstream American television.
His documentary “A Pair of Sandals,” which focuses on the Rohingya crisis was also distributed by the same firm and won the Best Director award in Turkey.
Prior to its local release, “Chocolate” was widely broadcast across the United States and Europe via “Shorts TV,” the distributor’s dedicated channel.
Beyond television, the film reached global audiences through airlines, mobile platforms, video-on-demand (VOD), and various other online portals.
