Bangladeshi short film ‘Nishi’ has earned a place at one of the world’s oldest student film festivals, marking the first time a film from Bangladesh has been selected for the event.
The film, jointly directed by Golam Rabbani and Zahirul Islam, will represent Bangladesh at the 46th VGIK International Student Festival, organised by Russia’s Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, regarded as the world’s first film school. The festival will take place in Moscow from 16 to 20 November.
International Academy of Film and Media, the film’s production company, announced the selection.
Written and scripted by Golam Rabbani, ‘Nishi’ features characters including Nishi, the daughter of a tea garden worker, and tea workers Bishwajit, Ganesh and Bharati.
The story follows a young girl whose education comes to an abrupt halt because of a water shortage. A timber trader named Lalchand offers to install a tube well at her home, but only on the condition that underage Nishi marries him. The film explores the vulnerability of a child caught between the need for education and the basic necessities of life.
Produced with support from the European Union in Bangladesh, Green Film School Alliance and UNESCO Dhaka, the film was shot in a tea garden in Sylhet and its surrounding areas.
The final editing, colour grading and sound work took place at the renowned Łódź Film School in Poland. Natalia Pusnik, a former student of the institution, served as cinematographer.
Golam Rabbani said the film’s growing international recognition was a source of pride for Bangladeshi cinema.
“’Nishi’ is setting one record after another in the history of Bangla cinema, and this is truly joyful news. This achievement will not only bring me happiness but also enrich our film history on the world stage,” he said.
The film has already secured international recognition. It became the first Bangladeshi film to win the 35th Emma Awards in the United States and also received an award at the 12th Green Montenegro International Film Festival.
Its selection for the VGIK festival marks another milestone for the short film and adds to the growing international visibility of Bangladeshi filmmaking.
