Bangladeshi cinema makes historic debut at Venice Film Festival

Bangladeshi film ‘The Difficult Bride’ has become the country's first entry in the competition category (Orizzonti) of the prestigious Venice International Film Festival. The film is directed by Rubaiyat Hossain.

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the world's oldest film festival, will take place at the Venice Lido from 2 to 12 September.

Securing a place in the festival's competition section with her fourth feature film was not easy for Rubaiyat, as only a handful of films were selected from thousands of submissions. The film passed through multiple stages of evaluation before earning its place.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Rubaiyat said, “A few days after submitting the film, I was informed that the organisers liked it. That was an incredible moment for me and for my career. Though they did not reveal which section it would premiere in. So, I was a bit anxious about that. Finally, I learned that it had been selected for the festival's official Orizzonti section.”

Previously, Abdullah Mohammad Saad's film ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ was nominated in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival. That was the first nomination for a film from the country in an official category at Cannes. Now, another major achievement for Bangladeshi cinema has come through this Venice nomination.

Regarding representing her country on the international stage, Rubaiyat added, "Being able to represent Bangladesh at Venice with my film is a great honor for me. This brings me a lot of joy. This is a story of a dream being fulfilled. I want my country's cinema to reach even better heights."

Orizzonti is a key official section of the Venice International Film Festival, which began its journey in 1932. Filmmakers and critics around the world keep a close eye on this category, as it showcases films from young and promising talents. This section highlights films with local stories, unique presentations, innovative storytelling styles and challenging narratives that carry significance on the international stage.

But what is ‘The Difficult Bride’ about? It is a psychological horror film set around a beauty salon in Dhaka. The story revolves around a wedding, bridal makeup and a beauty parlour. As preparations for a bride's wedding progress, she becomes entangled in an unsettling and mysterious world shaped by beauty, the body, faith, memory and fear. The film also carries a message of awareness.

Although rooted in social issues, the film blends them with elements of horror. After directing Meherjaan (2011), Under Construction (2015) and Made in Bangladesh (2019, Rubaiyat Hossain has ventured into the horror genre for the first time.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Rubaiyat said, “As a woman, I have always told women's stories. This film is no different. I have always felt a responsibility to tell women's stories. The stories I see around me find their way into my films. This time too I have told a story that is familiar to me, the story that carries deep emotional significance for me as a woman.”

The film stars Zaineen Karim in the lead role. Speaking to Prothom Alo, she said, “This is the first film of my career. It is premiering at the Venice Film Festival. It is also the first Bangladeshi film to reach such a major festival. I am extremely happy and will be attending the festival. Overall, it feels wonderful. I am grateful to the director for casting me in the lead role.”

The supporting cast includes National Film Award-winning actress Azmeri Haque Badhon, Reekita Nondine Shimu and Sunerah Binte Kamal. Veteran Bangladeshi actors Shatabdi Wadud, Saberi Alam, Mohammad Bari and several others also appear in the film.

Expressing her gratitude to the cast, Rubaiyat said, “Even after learning that their roles in the film were relatively small, Badhon, Sunerah, Shatabdi Wadud, Saberi Alam and everyone else came forward with great enthusiasm. I am grateful to all of them. Without the support of my cast and crew, I probably would not have come this far. From my assistant directors to every member of the team, everyone's contribution helped bring the film to this stage.”

Rubaiyat's latest achievement began with securing funding from several international film organisations. The Difficult Bride received financial support from the German World Cinema Fund, Portugal's Film Institute, Eurimages and funding bodies from five countries in total. The film is a co-production involving Portugal, Norway, Germany, France and Bangladesh. Currently, the prominent firm Cinema Boutique has taken responsibility for its global distribution.

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival will run from 2 to 12 September.

Although this marks the first time a Bangladeshi feature film has been selected for Venice's official competition sections, Bangladeshi cinema was represented at the festival before. In 2010, Ishtiaque Zico's short film 720 Degrees became the first Bangladeshi short film selected for the Venice Film Festival. The film was produced by Khona Talkies, Rubaiyat Hossain's production company. This time as well, Khona Talkies is the Bangladeshi co-producer of "The Difficult Bride."

For now, Rubaiyat intends to spend the next year traveling to major international film festivals with the movie.