The critically acclaimed Bangladeshi film “Mastul” (Beyond the Mast), directed by Mohammad Nuruzzaman, has been officially invited to the 21st edition of the Kazan International Film Festival, set to take place from September 5 to 9 this year. The invitation was extended via email to the director last week, marking yet another international recognition for the film.
Mastul, which received praise earlier at the Moscow International Film Festival, continues to attract attention from global festivals. Just last month, it was also screened and appreciated at the Cheboksary International Film Festival in Russia.
Speaking about the latest selection, director Nuruzzaman said, “Invitations have been coming in from different festivals since Mastul screened in Moscow. This one from Kazan is a special encouragement for the entire team.”
The film is not part of the main competition but has been selected for a special programme titled “Russia – Islamic World”, which features 10 films chosen from countries included in the Strategic Vision Group Russia – Islamic World. The program prioritizes themes of humanism and empathy, deliberately excluding films that depict violence or cruelty.
Besides Bangladesh, this year’s lineup includes films from Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, the UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, and a co-production between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
According to the festival organisers, the upcoming edition has received a record 845 film submissions from 67 countries. The Kazan International Film Festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and held under the patronage of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
Mastul is a minimalist, poetic portrayal of the lives of shipmen who live on the water. The cast includes Fazlur Rahman Babu, Deepak Suman, Aminur Rahman Mukul, Arif Hasan, Sikdar Mukit, and Sifat Bonna.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
