The Bangladeshi short film Untongue, directed by emerging filmmaker Golam Rabbani, has earned an official selection for screening at the Waterloo Film Festival (WFF) in Durban, South Africa, scheduled to take place from July 4 to 6.
Confirming the news, director Rabbani said, “The festival authorities appreciated my film and officially invited me to attend the screening.”
While speaking about the global response to his work, Rabbani said:
“It’s an honour to know South African audiences will see my film.”
This year, the festival will feature 82 films and 16 musical films from various countries, with Untongue standing as Bangladesh’s representative on the international stage.
The short film was completed earlier this year and Rabbani said Untongue tells a story rooted in the right to free speech and the human urge to express without fear or censorship.
Since its release, Untongue has been screened at several local and international festivals, earning praise from viewers and critics alike.
Earlier, it received an Honourable Mention at the Venice Intercultural Film Festival.
It was also featured at the Hill Film Festival, BUFT Film Fest, Independent Film Festival, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Film Festival, Jagannath University Film Festival, and the Mobile Film Festival.
The cast of Untongue includes Mizanur Rahman, Prasun Azad, Chandana Biswas, Zainal Abedin, and Manik Saha.
Director Golam Rabbani is already known for his previous work Chhurat, which received a Special Mention in the Spiritual Film category at the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival.
Rabbani’s upcoming short films Stitch Life and Nishi are now awaiting release.
The filmmaker expressed hope that Untongue’s participation in the South African festival will inspire other
independent filmmakers in Bangladesh to dream bigger and tell bold stories.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
