Bangladeshi short film ALI has won the Best Short Film award in the International Competition section at the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF), adding another major stop to its festival run.
Directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, the film received the award at the Nepal-based festival, with Prabin Kumar Rawat accepting the honor on behalf of the team.
The filmmakers thanked the festival jury, selection committee, and organizers for recognizing the project and congratulated Rajeev and the rest of the production team.
ALI has already drawn international attention after being selected for the Short Film Competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention, making it the first Bangladeshi short film to earn that distinction.
Set in a conservative coastal town where women are forbidden from singing, the 15-minute Bangladesh-Philippines co-production follows a teenage boy who enters a singing competition while hiding a secret about his voice.
Starring Al Amin and Indrani Soma, the film explores identity, self-expression, and social restriction. It was produced under Katalog Films in collaboration with Narra Studios, Barebones Inc and Getafixxi.