Published: : September 14, 2026, 11:40 PM
Bangladeshi filmmaker Piplu R Khan’s feature film ‘Joya Aar Sharmin’ has achieved major international recognition by winning the Best Feature Film Award at the 5th World Film Festival Kolkata. The film received the prestigious Bimal Roy Golden Award at the festival.
Another Bangladeshi production also earned recognition at the event. Director Mokbul Chowdhury’s documentary film ‘Mamun: In Praise of Shadows’ received a Jury Mention, earning special appreciation from the jury in the documentary category.
The six-day international festival was organized by the Eastern Regional Branch of the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) and was held at Nandan-3, Kolkata, from September 8 to 13. The winners were announced during the closing ceremony on Sunday evening.
Producer Abu Shahed Emon expressed his gratitude for the recognition and thanked the festival organizers, critics, filmmakers, and audiences for their positive response to the film. He described the achievement as a significant milestone for the entire cast and crew of Joya Aar Sharmin and a proud moment for Bangladeshi cinema on the international stage.
Cinematographer Xoaher Musavvir described his approach to creating the visual language of ‘Joya Aar Sharmin’ as a process of discovering rather than imposing a predetermined style. He said, “With Joya Aar Sharmin I did not really want to make a visual language first and then put the film inside it. I wanted to stay close and see what the film itself was asking for.”
He added that the faces, spaces, silences, and interactions between the characters gradually guided the camera’s position and visual choices. According to Musavvir, the film’s intimate setting and emotional depth shaped a cinematic approach focused on observing life from within rather than looking at it from the outside.
The festival featured 38 films from different countries, with 19 films competing in the feature film category. Productions from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Spain, Germany, Costa Rica, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, and Uzbekistan participated in this year’s event.
The feature film jury consisted of Professor Ujjwal Chakraborty, Rita Dutta and Pradip Kenchanuru.
India’s Assamese-language film ‘River Tales’ directed by Pankaj Bora received the Bimal Roy Silver Award for the second-best feature film. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan filmmaker Nadiye Wasalamudaliarachchi’s ‘Pantram’ received a Jury Mention in the same category.
In the documentary section, ‘Dolls Don’t Die: Putulnama’ directed by Ranjit Roy won the Harisadhan Dasgupta Golden Award for Best Documentary. The Silver Award in the category went to ‘River Still Flows’ directed by Deep Bhuyan.
The Chidananda Dasgupta Golden Award for Best Short Fiction Film was presented to ‘The Tale of Katha’ directed by Dr. Dhritishree Sarkar. The Silver Award in the same category went to the Iranian short film ‘Suddenly Rise’ directed by Mohammad Sajjad Motaharizadeh.
The recognition of ‘Joya Aar Sharmin’ and ‘Mamun: In Praise of Shadows’ highlights the growing international appreciation of Bangladeshi cinema and the creative achievements of its filmmakers.
