Bangladeshi actress Zainine Karim Chowdhury has won the Best Actor (International Feature) award at the 2026 International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) Toronto for her performance in The Difficult Bride, directed by Rubaiyat Hossain and produced by Khona Talkies.
Held in Toronto from October 8 to 18, the festival is part of the South Asian Screen Council of Canada, one of North America’s major platforms for South Asian cinema.
In The Difficult Bride, Zainine portrays a woman caught between family expectations, personal desires and control over her own body. The festival jury praised the fearlessness and physical intensity of her performance.
The jury also commended her transitions between vulnerability, suppressed anger and defiance, noting that her portrayal anchors the film’s exploration of womanhood, oppression and resistance.
The award adds to the film’s festival achievements this year. The Difficult Bride has previously screened at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Set in a traditional beauty parlour in Dhaka, the film follows a bride-to-be who grows increasingly frustrated with the grooming and makeover rituals arranged by her family. As the pressure mounts, she begins to resist the expectations imposed on her.
The cast includes Rikita Nandini Shimu, Sunerah Binte Kamal, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Damer Khan, Shatabdi Wadud, Saberi Alam and Mohammad Bari, alongside Zainine.