"I’m deeply grateful to those who believed in me"
Bangladeshi short film Sole Mate has officially entered the competition lineup at the inaugural Antares International Film Festival in Moscow, Russia.
Directed by debutant Adel Imam Anup, the film will compete in the official documentary category from August 6 to 10.
The festival selection was confirmed through email, calling it an “outstanding achievement” for the team behind Sole Mate.
Out of more than 2,400 international submissions, only 104 films from 29 countries were selected for the final program.
Sole Mate runs for just four minutes but has drawn attention for its unique narrative style and concept.
The story imagines what a pair of shoes would say if they could express emotions. The camera focuses only on feet throughout the film.
No human faces appear on screen, creating a sense of anonymity and poetic abstraction.
The absence of dialogue or direct human presence adds a layer of interpretative depth.
The story unfolds entirely through a voiceover delivered by Rezwan Kabir Kallol, who also co-wrote the story.
The film’s screenplay was written by Sheikh Qorashani. Cinematography and editing were handled by Asaduzzaman Abir.
Fazle Rabbi assisted on camera and Konok Khandakar took part in filming.
Anup, who co-wrote the story with Kallol, described the selection as surreal.
He said: “As an independent filmmaker, it’s truly an honour to have my first work selected for an international film festival.
“Filmmaking here is often challenging due to various limitations, but I’m deeply grateful to those who believed in me and supported the project.”
Sole Mate has been screened twice so far, both times in Dhaka.
Its premiere took place at the first season of the Friendly Neighbourhood Filmmaker Fest.
The festival was hosted at the National Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The film was praised locally for its quiet innovation and unconventional approach to visual storytelling.
The Antares International Film Festival is a new event in the global film scene.
Organisers aim to spotlight exceptional work in short and documentary formats across diverse cultures.
With Sole Mate, Bangladesh will be represented on this emerging global platform.
The team hopes the film’s selection encourages more independent voices in the country’s creative sector.
As excitement builds for the August 2025 screening, Anup and his collaborators remain focused on what lies ahead.
For now, Sole Mate stands as a promising debut that has already travelled far.
Loading ...