Tahrima Khan Tonni’s debut documentary feature “Munni” won the prestigious “Think-Film Impact Award” at the Cannes Docs Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes.
The award consists of a strategic impact workshop and an impact pitching coaching session. This year, six out of a total of 32 projects won awards at the Cannes Doc.
Also read: ‘Munni’ selected for Cannes Docs – Marché du Film
The documentary was selected for Cannes Docs South Asia focus (Market Place) last month. It was previously featured in Dhaka Doc Lab, Doc Leipzig (Showcased by IEFTA) and DocEdge New Zealand.
The International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB) showcased documentary projects at Cannes Docs from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
IFIB President, Samia Zaman said: "I brought four documentary projects under the presentation partnership with Cannes Docs. We are hoping the feature documentary 'Munni' will be completed within this year. It follows a professional footballer, who coaches young girls to play at the national level. We know our women are doing great in sports, yet they have to break countless social barriers just to be permitted to play."
“When girls are winning awards, everybody wants to touch their crests, but these girls rarely get an enabling environment from family or society at large," the director told Dhaka Tribune Showtime about her project. "Most of the times, rural girls get married off at a very young age. All we need to do is motivate them and they can fly on their own."
The documentary is currently in advanced stage of filming. Abu Shahed Emon from Batayan productions produced this project.
