TBT REPORT

Bangladesh has once again achieved success on the international film festival circuit, with acclaimed actress Jaya Ahsan adding another achievement to her career. At the fifth World Film Festival held in Kolkata, Bangladeshi filmmaker Piplu R Khan’s Jaya Aar Sharmin won the award for Best Feature Film.

Another Bangladeshi film was also honoured at the festival. Director Makbul Chowdhury’s documentary Mamun: In Praise of Shadows received a special jury recognition, the Jury Mention.

Jaya Ahsan plays the titular character in Jaya Aar Sharmin. The film won the Bimal Roy Golden Award, one of the festival’s top honours.

Organised by the Eastern Region of the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI), the fifth World Film Festival was held at Nandan-3 in Kolkata from September 8 to 13. A total of 38 films from Bangladesh and several other countries were screened during the six-day festival. Nineteen films competed in the feature-film category, representing Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Spain, Germany, Costa Rica, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela and Uzbekistan.

The winners in various categories were announced at the closing ceremony on Sunday night, where Jaya Aar Sharmin was named Best Feature Film. The achievement adds another notable success to Jaya Ahsan’s acting career on the international festival circuit.

Set against the backdrop of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaya Aar Sharmin is an 86-minute Bengali-language psychological film. Jaya Ahsan plays Jaya, while acclaimed theatre actress Mohsina Akter portrays Sharmin. The story explores the changing relationship between two women confined under the same roof for an extended period, along with their loneliness, psychological dependence on each other, and differences in class and power.

The film was directed by Piplu R Khan. Sharing her feelings about the award, Jaya said, “This recognition is a source of joy for me, and it is also a special achievement for the entire team of Jaya Aar Sharmin. This award is not only a personal success but also a matter of joy and pride for Bangladeshi cinema. In particular, the response we received from audiences, critics and people associated with cinema in Kolkata to a film centred on the complexities of a relationship between two women during a restricted period like lockdown is also very important to me.”

Produced jointly by Abu Shahed Emon of Golpo Rajya Films, Jaya Ahsan of C-Te Cinema and Piplu R Khan of Applebox Films, the film received praise following its festival success. In a press statement, producer Abu Shahed Emon expressed gratitude for the festival recognition and the warm response from film critics, filmmakers and audiences. According to him, the achievement is an encouragement not only for the film’s cast and crew but also for Bangladeshi cinema on the international stage.

Another Bangladeshi film also received recognition at this year’s festival. Mokbul Chowdhury’s documentary Mamun: In Praise of Shadows earned the Jury Mention. The festival therefore proved particularly successful for Bangladeshi cinema. India’s Assamese-language film River Tales won the Bimal Roy Silver Award for the second-best film in the feature-film category.

The Best Feature Film award for Jaya Ar Sharmin marks another milestone in Jaya Ahsan’s career. The actress, who has received praise and awards for her performances at various film festivals at home and abroad, has now added the Best Feature Film honour at Kolkata’s fifth World Film Festival to her growing list of achievements.

The award also serves as further recognition of the film’s story, direction and performances, which have captured the attention of international audiences and members of the global film community, according to film observers.