European Film Festival: The Girl From Tomorrow strikes a chord in Bangladesh

The practice of a molester marrying his victim to evade justice is nothing new in Bangladesh.

In fact, in the not-so-distant past, rural mediation courts often deemed it acceptable to approve and arrange such unions in order to save the victim from stigma and ostracism.

Whether the victim actually wished to marry her abuser was never up for discussion, illustrating the hard truth that, in such situations, the woman in question had very little choice but to accept the will of community elders in order to maintain a semblance of social acceptability.

In many cases, the perpetrators later proved violent as husbands because, in most instances, they had agreed to the marriage simply as an expedient way to avoid legal consequences.

But even if the violator turned out to be decent, such arrangements could never be the solution; they only demean women and leave them languishing in a union born out of a condemnable act.

At the European Film Festival 2025, which concluded on 07 December at BRAC University, the acclaimed Italian film The Girl from Tomorrow, centred on the theme of reparatory marriage, was screened.

The 2022 film, based on events from 1966–67, depicts a rural part of Italy where one woman takes a defiant stance against a long-held abomination that commodified women and kept them subservient to inequitable social norms.

One of the most compelling aspects of the film is its title — The Girl from Tomorrow. At first glance, it may suggest a sci-fi production, but in reality, it is a solemn drama exposing a deep social aberration that afflicted a European country not too long ago.

Commenting on the title, journalist Anika Fatima observed, "Actually, from what I feel, the main character of the film, Lia Crimi, played by Claudia Gusmano, is a woman who is not hostage to the insular beliefs of a rural Italian town; her views and outlook are far ahead, as if to suggest she is a person from years into the future."

The same sentiment was echoed by filmmaker and documentarian Rakibul Hasan, "In my view, most of the characters in the film are controlled by regressive and highly discriminatory values, whereas Lia stands alone with her progressive thoughts," added Rakibul.

Social worker Anjum Dalia asserts that the film should be subtitled in Bangla and shown across Bangladesh, because "in many distant and semi-isolated communities, the practice of reparatory marriage still exists."

"This deplorable culture persists even in communities with access to electricity, mobile networks and other modern amenities," observed Anjum, adding: "A certain degree of discretion is followed in arranging reparatory marriages."

But the question remains: is the victim willingly accepting such a proposal, or is she indoctrinated into saying kabool ("I do")?

Anjum points to the persistence of social practices in rural Bangladesh, where outdated, humiliating and unjust demands are foisted upon women.

"The most unfortunate thing is that, in countless cases, the victim is shamed while the abuser basks in masculine triumphalism."

Ending the festival with a poignant message: The European Film Festival 2025 began at the Shishu Academy on 04 December with the German film Transit, and concluded on 07 December with the Italian feature The Girl from Tomorrow.

At the closing event, the Ambassador of the European Union, Michael Miller, and the Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Antonio Alessandro, both acknowledged the film's relevance at a time when the world is observing the '16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence'.

"It is fitting that the European Film Festival 2025 ends with a profound message that aligns with a significant social campaign aimed at raising awareness about gender violence," observed Michael Miller.

The film contrasts Lia's desolation with sweeping images of a spectacular mountainous Italian village.

While the girl stands up against the norm of marrying her rapist, her family fears reprisal because the abuser's family is influential and wealthy.

This economic dichotomy — and its unsavoury intricacies — is all too familiar in Bangladesh.

"We have repeatedly come across out-of-court settlements in which the victim, often from a struggling socio-economic background, is silenced with a financial package," deplored Abdus Sattar, an advocate at the CMM Court in Dhaka.

"Looking back a few years, we recall the death of a young girl who was living in an upmarket area in Dhaka under the patronage of a wealthy person. Later, when the girl committed suicide, an instigation-to-murder charge was quashed, reportedly after a payment — hush money — was made to the victim's family." 

Discussing European films more broadly, film enthusiast and critic Zahirul Islam highlighted the need for a large-scale film festival both in Bangladesh and Europe, featuring the best arthouse productions from each side.

The Italian presentation at the European Film Festival left a sobering impact, evoking a line from philosopher Antonio Gramsci, "Telling the truth is always revolutionary."

Sketch: TBS

Towheed Feroze is a Media and Information Adviser at European Union in Bangladesh

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard