‘The Cord of Life’ bags best film as curtain falls on 22nd DIFF

The 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) concluded on Sunday, awarding Qiao Sixue-directed Chinese movie 'The Cord of Life' as the Best Film this year.

As for the Bangladeshi and Bengali language films, the Syam Benegal-directed biopic on Bangabandhu titled 'Mujib: The Making of a Nation' received the Audience Award, while the Special Audience Award was given to the Abhijit SriDas-directed Indian-Bengali film 'Bijoyar Pore' (Autumn Flies).

Pantho Prosad-directed 'Sabittri' (A Burning Soul) received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Full-Length Feature Film, Baishaki Somadder directed 'Laila' received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Short Film, Best Cinematography went to the Bangladesh-France-Greece joint-production film 'Mighty Afrin - In the Time of Floods' and 'Surot' (Reflection of Life) won the Special Mention at the Spiritual Film Section.

A total of 18 awards were given in different categories at the closing ceremony of the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival, at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum in the capital, organised by the Rainbow Film Society.

The closing ceremony was joined by the State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammed Ali Arafat, while globally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, eminent Indian-Bengali actress Sharmila Tagore, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Mokammel Hossain, and Bangladesh National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman, among others.

Presided over by DIFF Chief Patron and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam MP, the ceremony was also joined by Dhaka International Film Festival's maestro Director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, festival committee member M Hamid, and DIFF Chairperson Kishwar Kamal.

In the Asian Cinema Competition Section, the Best Director award went to Jagath Manuwarna for 'Rahas Kiyana Kandu' (Whispering Mountains). Popular Indian-Bengali singer-filmmaker Anjan Dutt received the Best Actor Award for his brilliant performance in the role of his maestro Mrinal Sen in his directorial film 'Chalchitra Ekhon' (Kaleidoscope Again), while the Best Actress Award went to the Chinese actress Badema for 'The Cord of Life', the Best Film at the 22nd DIFF.

The award for Best Screenplay Writing went to Dov" (Fortune), directed by Muhiddin Muzaffar (Tajikistan), and the Best Cinematography award was handed over to 'Mighty Afrin - In the Time of Floods', directed by Angelos Rallis (Bangladesh, France, Greece).

As for the Women Filmmakers Section, Nancy Svendsen (USA) directed 'Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest' won the Best Documentary Award, while the Best Feature Film Award went to the Iranian film 'Ashghal-ha va Arousak-ha' (Junks & Dolls), directed by Manijeh Hekmat. South Korean filmmaker Gyeongmu NOH won Best Director for the film 'How to Get Your Man Pregnant', and Bangladeshi filmmaker Chaitali Somadder received the Special Mention for 'Mukti' in this section.

The Spiritual Films Section recognised this year's submission by awarding the Best Feature Film to the Russian film 'Tuda I Obratno' (There and Back), directed by Oleg Asadulin, and 'Kunanfinda: The Land of Death', directed by Hansel Leyva Fanego (Cuba) received the award for the Best Documentary while Golam Rabbani-directed Bangladeshi film 'Surot' received the Special Mention award.

Meanwhile, the Best Children Film Badal Rahman Award went to 'Pravas' (Pravas the Tour), directed by Vipul Sharma (India).

From January 20, the 22nd DIFF featured 252 films from 71 countries, including Bangladesh, India, China, Turkey, Iran, the United States, Sri Lanka and others. Films were screened at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Auditorium (main auditorium) and Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum, National Art Gallery Auditorium and Jatiya Sangeet and Nrityakala Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Academy Auditorium, and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital.

Besides the screenings, the 22nd DIFF also featured the '10th International Women Filmmakers Conference' on the role of women in films from 21-22 January and West Meets East: Screenplay Lab from January 15 to 18 at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka.

This year, the festival also hosted a day-long master class with eminent film scholar Dr Shi Chuan, Deputy Chair of the Shanghai Film Association of China, globally renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and Indian filmmaker, actor and singer Anjan Dutt.

Rainbow Film Society has been organising the Dhaka International Film Festival since 1992 with the theme Better Film, Better Audience, Better Society.

The 23rd DIFF will be held between January 11-19 in 2025, according to the festival director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal.