A story that began in the tea gardens of Sylhet has captured hearts across the world and now ‘Nishi’, Bangladesh’s first film to win the prestigious Environmental Media Association (EMA) Award in the US, is coming home.
The film will have its Bangladeshi premiere at the Goethe-Institut in Dhaka on December 6 at 3:00 pm, as part of the European Film Festival, giving local audiences their first opportunity to see the internationally celebrated drama.
Based on the story by Golam Rabbani, and co-produced with Zahirul Islam, Nishi tells the compelling story of a young girl from a tea-worker family whose education is disrupted by water scarcity. When a local timber merchant, Lalchan, offers to install a tubewell in exchange for her hand in marriage, the film exposes the harsh realities faced by marginalised communities in rural Bangladesh.
For the filmmakers, returning the story to its homeland is particularly special. “The film has been screened in multiple countries and has won awards,” said the director. “But nothing compares to showing it to the Bangladeshi audience.”
Shot on location in Sylhet, the film features local children Nishi, Bishwajit, Ganesh and Bharati in pivotal roles, lending authenticity to the narrative. Post-production, including final editing, colour grading and sound design, was carried out at the renowned Łódź Film School in Poland, with cinematography by alumna Natalia Pusnik.
