Bangladeshi feature film Noya Manush will open the inaugural New York Bangla Film Festival, which begins on 30 July in New York.
The festival will showcase films by Bangladeshi filmmakers and honour artists and filmmakers with awards.
Directed by Sohel Rana Boyati, Noya Manush will be screened on the festival’s opening day at 7PM local time at the RTV Theatre in New York.
The film is based on A. Ma. M. Hasanuzzaman’s novel Bedonar Baluchore. Masum Reza wrote the screenplay and dialogues.
The cast includes A. Ma. M. Hasanuzzaman, Ashish Khandakar, Jhuna Chowdhury, Rawnak Hasan, Mousumi Hamid, Shikha Karmakar, Nilufar Wahid, Badruddoza, Mahin Rahman, Nazmul Hossain, Smaran Saha, Sanzana Mehran and child actor Ushoshi.
Speaking about the festival, director Sohel Rana Boyati said Noya Manush had previously participated in several international film festivals.
However, he described the New York Bangla Film Festival as particularly significant because it exclusively showcases and recognises films made by Bangladeshi filmmakers.
He said the festival would play an important role in promoting Bangladeshi cinema internationally.
Cinematographer Kamal Chandra Das shot the film in the remote Kanudir Char of Chandpur during Super Cyclone Sitrang.
The soundtrack features songs by Baul Shafi Mondol, Chandana Majumdar, Belal Khan, Animesh Roy, Masa Islam and Khairul Wasi. Imon Chowdhury, Mushfiq Litu and Shovon Roy composed the music.
The three-day festival will begin on 30 July with screenings of the short film Bilai, the documentary Concert for Bangladesh and the feature film Noya Manush.
On 31 July, audiences will watch the short films Ishpait and The Eternal Journey, along with the feature film Deyaler Desh.
On 1 August, the programme will include the short films American Dream and Eid Mubarak, followed by the feature film Manusher Bagan.
The festival’s main event will take place on 2 August. A significant number of Bangladeshi film personalities have already travelled to New York to attend the event.
