Bangladeshi filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain's latest feature, “Shimu – Made in Bangladesh,” is slated to be released in theatres across the country on March 11.
The film had previously received the invitation to be submitted for the 78th Golden Globes in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Produced by François d'Artemare (Les Films De L’apres-Midi) and Ashique Mostafa (Khona Talkies), the film is about a housemaid turned factory worker, who starts a union to fight for her rights.
"'Shimu' is the story of every human being who triumphs over adversity and moves forward. Shimu fights for her rights and dignity. March 11th, ‘Shimu' is coming to theaters near you!” said a Facebook post.
In an earlier interview with Dhaka Tribune, Rubaiyat said that she wanted her third film to specifically focus on working class women since factory workers are most visible in our workforce and yet their stories have been rarely portrayed on the big screen.
The protagonist named Shimu, a worker in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, was based on a real woman who helped the film crew out with dialogues and other important details.
The film depicts the struggles and successes of female RMG workers and explores how the garments industry of Bangladesh has the potential to empower women and provide them with socio-economic independence.
After Meherjaan (2011) and Under Construction (2015), Rubaiyat's third feature “Made in Bangladesh” received its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (TIIF), under the Contemporary World Cinema category.
The project was co-produced by Bangladesh, France, Denmark, and Portugal. It was financed by France’s CNC fund, Norway’s Sørfond Plus, the EU’s Eurimages fund, and Denmark’s Danish Film Institute fund.
