Sadia Khalid Reeti, a distinguished Bangladeshi film critic, screenwriter, and journalist, made a notable appearance at the 77th Cannes Film Festival as a member of the FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) jury. Reeti walked the red carpet on May 22.
Reeti's participation in the official red carpet lineup underscores the high honor of being recognized at Cannes, a privilege reserved for globally renowned figures. This year's lineup included celebrities like Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, and Demi Moore, alongside celebrated filmmakers and actors, reports UNB.
As the sole representative from Bangladesh this year, Reeti served on the FIPRESCI jury for the Un Certain Regard section. This marks her second tenure on the jury at Cannes, following her 2019 participation in Critics’ Week and Directors’ Fortnight.
"I want to clarify something so we are not encouraging people to pack suitcases full of costumes and head to Cannes claiming they achieved some applaudable feat. The red carpet is there on the way to screenings at the main venues; however, the red carpet where photographers line up in tuxes and gowns to feature someone officially for the festival is different," Reeti explained to UNB. "There are certain protocols, and we should be diligent enough not to make a fool of ourselves anymore as artists and journalists."
Reeti emphasized her commitment to representing Bangladesh with sophistication and versatility. "I wanted to represent Bangladesh in a way that doesn’t put us in a box that stops us from evolving. I’m wearing Jamdani saris at the award ceremonies, but for the red carpet, I wanted to also highlight that the traditional fabrics used in saris can be fashioned into many things that we can own on the global stage. Everything from my gown and jacket to my jewelry, purse, and shoes were all made in Bangladesh," she said.
Reeti, who studied Screenwriting at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is the Showtime Editor of Dhaka Tribune and has served as a jury member at numerous international film festivals across Italy, India, England, Nepal, France, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. She was also the first international voter for the Golden Globe Awards from Bangladesh.
A Berlinale Talents alumna, Reeti has attended mentorship programs with Film Independent and Locarno Open Doors and is a recipient of the Charles Wallace Fellowship from the British Council. Additionally, she teaches film studies at various universities and institutions.
The 77th Cannes Film Festival is being held from May 14-25, featuring notable South Asian representation, primarily from India, with films like Payal Kapadiya’s “All We Imagine as Light” in the main competition, “Santosh” and “Shameless” in Un Certain Regard, and “Sister Midnight” in Directors’ Fortnight.
Beyond her role as a FIPRESCI jury member for Un Certain Regard, Reeti is also part of the jury board for the Critics’ Awards for Arab Films, which distributed awards on May 18 at Cannes. The FIPRESCI Award will be presented on May 25, ahead of the festival's closing ceremony.
Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
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