Two Bangladeshi Films Win Awards at World Film Festival Kolkata

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

83rd Venice International Film Festival Winners: A Celebration of World Cinema

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival 2026 has come to an end, bringing together some of the most remarkable voices in contemporary cinema. For more than eight decades, Venice has remained one of the most respected platforms for filmmakers, actors, and artists from around the world, and this year was no different. The 2026 edition celebrated films that explored human experiences, social realities, personal struggles, and new approaches to storytelling. From established filmmakers to emerging talents, the awards reflected the diversity and creativity that continue to shape global cinema. The festival’s highest

‘The Difficult Bride’ Wins Independent Film Critics Award at Venice Film Festival

Bangladeshi filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain’s fourth feature film The Difficult Bride has received international recognition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, winning the Premio Bisato d’Oro for Best Direction, an independent critics’ award presented during the festival. The award is separate from the official Venice Film Festival prizes, which are decided by the festival’s official juries. The Bisato d’Oro is an independent critics’ recognition given alongside the festival programme, acknowledging notable artistic achievements among films presented at Venice. The recognition follows a major achievement for Bangladeshi cinema: The Difficult Bride was selected

Laura Dern Honors George Clooney at Venice Film Festival

There was a sense of history and friendship on the Lido as George Clooney received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival. The honor was made even more special by the presence of Laura Dern, who delivered the Laudatio speech celebrating a career that has crossed generations, genres, and different worlds of cinema. Dern’s tribute felt like a meeting between two artists who represent the very best of contemporary filmmaking. Both actors have built careers based not only on memorable performances but also on their ability to

Yorgos Lanthimos: A Distinctive Voice in Modern Cinema

Yorgos Lanthimos has always been a filmmaker who chooses a different path. His films do not follow the usual patterns of storytelling, and that willingness to experiment has made him one of the most interesting directors working in cinema today. Born on September 23, 1973, in Athens, Greece, Lanthimos began his career making films that explored human behavior, social expectations and the complexities of relationships. His international breakthrough came with Dogtooth, a film that introduced audiences to his unusual style and creative approach. Over the years, Lanthimos continued to build his reputation ' ...

Rubaiyat Hossain on Cinema, Women and the Politics of Representation

Rubaiyat Hossain is an acclaimed Bangladeshi filmmaker known for exploring women’s experiences, social realities and identity through her distinctive cinematic voice. Her films include Meherjaan, Under Construction and Made in Bangladesh. Her fourth feature, The Difficult Bride, became the first Bangladeshi film selected for the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival. For Cut to Cinema, editor Bidhan Rebeiro spoke with Rubaiyat Hossain about her creative journey, the female gaze, representation in cinema and bringing Bangladeshi stories to a global audience. To come to the 83rd Venice Film Festival, this ' ...

Venice: The City That Knows How to Celebrate Art

Just when everything about coming to the Venice International Film Festival was finalised, I came to know that Rubaiyat Hossain’s ‘The Difficult Bride’ had found a place in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section of this year’s 83rd edition. What is called the perfect coincidence, that is exactly what happened. I came to Venice, for the first time a full-length film from Bangladesh came along with me. It was also my first time coming to the Venice festival. On September 1, I set foot at Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. The Venice Film Festival ' ...

The River, Renoir and the Bengal That Satyajit Ray Saw

For a Bengali, a river is never merely a body of water. It is a state of mind. Our stories, migrations, griefs and survivals are all tangled in river silt. When Manik Bandopadhyay wrote Padma Nadir Majhi, the river was more than a workplace for fishermen; it became a force of nature—ruthless, seductive and indifferent to human hunger. In Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s Ichhamati, the river takes on a quieter, more ancient presence, witnessing the decline of indigo factories and the passing lives of generations of ordinary villagers. This deep cultural intimacy with rivers ' ...