Goethe-Institut Bangladesh's film screening and discussion series, "Through Her Eyes," continues to acquaint movie-watchers with women film-makers of the country in their latest instalment, which featured the rising film-maker Tasmiah Afrin Mou, and three of her films. The screening was organized in cooperation with the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB).
The highlight of the screening was the award-winning Bangladeshi short film, "Kobi Swamir Mrityur Por Amar Jobanbondi," which translates to, "The Statement After My Poet Husband’s Death," written and directed by Tasmiah. One 11-minute long short film, "Nayikar Ek Raat," completed in 2019, translates to "Heroine’s one night," - and a 22-minute documentary film, "Tokai," made in 2012, were the other films that were screened.
"The Statement..." is a film which depicts the psychological journey of a woman named Rubi who once loved her husband devotedly but the feeling is now long gone. Sitting beside her husband’s dead body, she does not feel any grief or any other emotion whatsoever. She remembers her life with this man, and discovers that her once beloved husband died within her, long before his actual demise.
In a press release the director notes: "Though loving relationships are believed to bring happiness to a woman’s life, often they cause pain and abasement. Still, a simple woman goes far and accepts a lot of disgrace for his love. But, after a point, the feeling of love dies. The much-alive person she once loved becomes dead to her.
"Even the actual death of that person comes as a relief. Despite being brought up in a country that is historically male dominated, an ordinary Bangladeshi woman often tends to take some difficult but vital decisions which come from the lesson of self-esteem her culture has taught her. The family structure in Bangladesh facilitates a mental shelter for the ordinary woman taking any important life decision long after she is matured or married. An ordinary woman could become the symbol of self-esteem, not through practicing any recognized feminist lifestyle, but rather, by living her ordinary stolid life," the director added.
"The Statement after My Poet Husband’s Death" is her debut short film. Before this she made a handful of documentary films, including the critically-acclaimed "Tokai," which received the award for Best Short Documentary at Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival, China, in 2014.
The 35-year old actor Tasmiah was born in Dhaka and completed her Honours and Masters degrees from the University of Dhaka, majoring in Political Science. She is also an author and her short story collection, "Baksha Bondi," was published in 2015.
Women have been making films from the outset of film production history. In Bangladesh, we currently see a number of women filmmakers actively creating and working in all genres of filmmaking. However, it remains a challenge for a woman to be a director and continue to create a body of work. Worldwide, relatively few women can carve out that opportunity for themselves.
The "Through Her Eyes" film screening and discussion series gives film enthusiasts, students, academics, professionals, funding agencies, broadcasters, rights groups, and journalists, an opportunity to watch films by women film-makers currently working in Bangladesh. Film personalities can interact with them directly at the end of the screening, and more such events are expected in this series.
