Bangladeshi feature film ‘Balur Nagorite’, internationally titled Sand City, has brought pride to the country by winning the Proxima Grand Prix at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. Directed by Mahde Hasan, the film was honoured with the top prize in its category, along with a cash award of $15,000.
The prestigious international film festival took place from July 4 to July 12 in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary. The festival concluded with a grand awards ceremony, celebrating outstanding works from around the world and recognising fresh talent in global cinema.
Sand City stood out among the Proxima competition films and was selected as the best film in its section. The international jury praised Mahde Hasan’s film for its distinctive storytelling style, describing it as “a narrative where silence and loneliness unfold as a deeply human language.”
The main competition’s top honour went to Better Go Mad in the Wild, a Czech-Slovak documentary by Miro Remo. The film humorously and tenderly captures the solitary lives of two eccentric brothers, exploring themes of isolation and individuality.
Other major awards at the festival included the Special Jury Prize for Iranian filmmaker Soheil Beiraghi’s Bidad. The Best Director award was jointly given to Vytautas Katkus for The Visitor and Nathan Ambrosioni for Out of Love.
Pia Tjelta received the Best Actress award for her performance in the Norwegian film Don’t Call Me Mama, while the Best Actor title went to Àlex Brendemühl for his role in the Spanish film When a River Becomes the Sea.
This international recognition of Sand City marks a significant achievement for Bangladesh’s independent film scene on the global stage.
