"we have tried to explore an unavoidable truth."
The short film Ali, directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, has been selected for Cannes.
It will compete for the Palme d’Or in the short film category at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Ali is the first-ever Bangladeshi short film to be included in the official selection of this competition.
It will be showcased alongside other exceptional short films from around the globe.
This recognition marks a proud and historic achievement for the country’s growing film industry.
The film was directed by Adnan Al Rajeev and produced by Tanveer Hossain from Bangladesh and Kristine De Leon from the Philippines.
Line production was handled by Runout Films, with executive production by Habibur Rahman Tarek. It was filmed on location in Sylhet in November 2024.
Festival regulations restrict filmmakers from disclosing many plot details ahead of the screening.
However, Adnan offered a small glimpse into the film’s essence.
He said: “Through a personal journey, we have tried to explore an unavoidable truth. Our approach was to present it in a simple, beautiful, and sincere way.”
Tanveer Hossain emphasised the importance of this achievement for the nation’s creative community.
He explained: “We don’t usually give short films the attention they deserve.
“But it is through such work that a young and new filmmaker matures and gains experience.
“With this achievement, we want to say – we, too, create work of global standard.”
Tanveer believes this recognition will encourage more young voices in the country to pursue meaningful storytelling.
Executive producer Tarek echoed the sentiment, saying:
“I knew the director and the producers personally, and I was confident in their vision.
“I firmly believe that we have now gained the capacity to produce work of international standards.”
Ali was made under the banner of Catalogue, a production company founded by Adnan, Tanveer, Kristine De Leon, and Arvin Belarmino.
Catalogue was created to build collaborative bridges in filmmaking between South and Southeast Asia.
As part of this vision, Catalogue produced two films – Ali from Bangladesh and Agapito from the Philippines.
Both films have been selected for the main short film competition at Cannes, a rare achievement for a single production house.
Tanveer and Adnan also served as co-producers for Agapito, directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kylar.
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