The 14th edition of Dhaka International Film Festival began rounding off its 9-day run with its award ceremony on Friday evening at National Museum Auditorium, Shahbag.
The best film award in the Australasian Film Competition went to A Few Cubic Meters of Love, a joint production of Iran and Afghanistan directed by Jamshid Mahmoudi, while Bangladeshi entry in the section, Anil Bagchir Ekdin, has been given honourable recognition.
Rubaiyat Hossain’s second directorial venture, Under Construction, has won the most accolades as a Bangladeshi entry including the audience award.
Thai filmmaker Tom Waller has been awarded the best film director for a biographical fiction, The Last Executioner, while on the other side, Bangladeshi filmmaker Abu Shahed Emon has been given honours for his debut work in Jalal’s Story.
Thai actor Vithaya Pansringarm and Iraqi actor Mahmoud Abu Abbas have jointly won the best actor award for their performances in The Last Executioner and Samt Al Rai respectively. The best actress award went to Iranian Fatemeh Motamed-Arya for her role in Nabat, directed by Azerbaijani filmmaker Elchin Musaoglu.
The best screenplay award went to Iranian Nilufar Mahloji for Se Mahi while the best cinematographer award went to Palestine Ibrahim Yaghi for Sara.
Presided by Shahriar Alam, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, the ceremony was also graced by Hasanul Haq Inu, the Minister of Information, who was the chief guest. Festival director Ahmed Muztaba Jamal delivered the welcoming speech at the event, which drew attention to filmmakers from around the globe.
