Writer, director and producer Rubaiyat Hossain’s fourth feature film, The Difficult Bride, is set to make history as the first feature-length Bangladeshi film selected for the prestigious Orizzonti Competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
The psychological horror film will have its world premiere at the festival, scheduled to take place in Venice, Italy, from 2 to 12 September.
Founded in 1932, the Venice International Film Festival is the world’s oldest film festival, while its Orizzonti section is recognised for showcasing innovative cinematic voices and emerging filmmaking trends.
The milestone also marks another significant achievement for Bangladeshi cinema.
In 2010, Ishtiaque Zico’s short film 720 Degrees became the first Bangladeshi short film selected for the Orizzonti section.
The film was produced by Khona Talkies, which has also co-produced The Difficult Bride.
Set around the historic Mayfair beauty salon in Dhaka, The Difficult Bride follows Zaineen, a young woman who arrives to prepare for her wedding but gradually becomes trapped in a disturbing world shaped by beauty, faith, memory and fear.
Principal photography was completed over 26 days between June and July 2025, while post-production took place in Paris and Lisbon.
The cast is led by newcomer Zaineen Chowdhury Karim, alongside National Film Award-winning actors Rikita Nondine Shimu and Sunerah Kamal.
Azmeri Haque Badhon and Dameer Khan appear in guest roles, with Shatabdi Wadud, Saberi Alam and Mohammed Bari also featuring in key performances.
Rubaiyat Hossain, Karim, Shimu, Kamal, Badhon and Khan are expected to attend the film’s world premiere in Venice.
An international co-production, The Difficult Bride brings together producers from France, Portugal, Bangladesh, Norway and Germany.
The film received support from several major international funding bodies, including Eurimages, France’s CNC, Portugal’s ICA, Italy’s Fondazione Prada Film Fund, Norway’s Sørfond and Germany’s World Cinema Fund.
It was also selected for the EAVE Producers Workshop, the Berlinale Co-Production Market and the Les Arcs Film Festival’s Work in Progress programme.
The production assembled artists and technicians from Bangladesh, India, the United States and several European countries.
With the exception of the composer, every head of department on the film is a woman, reflecting Hossain’s longstanding commitment to female-led storytelling and filmmaking.
Speaking about the selection, Hossain described the film as the result of years of dedication by hundreds of collaborators.
“A film is born from the long years of work, sacrifice, patience, creativity and love of many people,” she said, expressing gratitude to her cast, crew, co-producers and supporters while thanking her parents and Almighty Allah for giving her the strength to complete the project.
In an accompanying Q&A, Hossain revealed that The Difficult Bride is inspired by an urban legend surrounding Mayfair Beauty Parlour that she first heard as a child.
She said the screenplay evolved over nearly two decades, growing from a ghost story into an exploration of women, beauty, marriage and the social expectations surrounding them.
Screening dates and additional details about the film’s Venice premiere will be announced by the festival at a later stage.
