Bangladeshi filmmaker Ishtiaq Ahmed Jihad’s debut feature, The Blind Girl and an Elephant (Sankota Dুলchhe), has secured selections at two international film festivals in Poland and Egypt, adding to the film’s growing presence on the global cinema circuit.
The black-and-white drama tells the stories of three women living in rural Bangladesh as they navigate their dreams, personal struggles and desire for freedom. The film previously attracted attention at the Shanghai International Film Festival in June, where it won an award.
The production is a collaboration between Monpachitra, the production company of actor and producer Manoj Pramanik, and Germany’s Mogador Film. Its visual style draws on carefully composed frames, the interplay of light and shadow, extended takes and close observation of village life.
At the EnergaCAMERIMAGE film festival in Poland, the film has earned a place in the official selection. Director Jihad and cinematographer Samiul Karim Suptak have also received nominations in the Best Director and Best Cinematographer categories, respectively. The festival is scheduled to run from November 7 to 14.
The film has also been selected for the International Critics’ Week Competition at the 47th Cairo International Film Festival in Egypt, which will take place from November 11 to 20. It will compete for the Shadi Abdel Salam Award for Best Film and the Fathy Farag Award – Special Jury Prize.
At the heart of the film are women confronting the restrictions imposed by superstition, religious conservatism, patriarchy and entrenched social expectations. As they search for ways to shape their own lives, the story explores the tension between personal aspirations and the pressures of their surroundings.
The cast includes Sanjida Akter Swarna, Tahmida Rahman Touhida, Sumaiya Akter, Munsif Mim, Ashok Bepari, Pankaj Palit and Robius Sani, alongside other performers.
The dual festival selection marks another international milestone for the debut feature, bringing a story rooted in rural Bangladesh to audiences and film professionals in Europe and Africa.
