Shanghai Film Art Centre was full of excitement for the world premiere of ‘Shikolbaha’ (Silence of the Seashell) on Last Sunday, This new film by director Kamar Ahmad Simon is competing for the prestigious Golden Goblet award at the Shanghai Film Festival, one of Asia's top film events. This is a big moment for Bangladeshi cinema.
Director Kamar Ahmad Simon, producer Sara Afreen, and actress Fauzia Karim Anu attended the festival. Before the premiere, they walked the red carpet as part of the main competition lineup. After the screening on Sunday night, they answered questions from the audience in a Q&A session.
The team will also hold a press conference to talk about the film.This year, over 3,700 films from 105 countries were submitted to the Shanghai Film Festival. "Shikolbaha" is one of only 14 films chosen for the main competition, along with films from Spain, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran.
On the morning of Eid, Anu received a pleasant surprise. The Shanghai Crowne Plaza Hotel reception called to deliver a bouquet of roses, a crown, and a card from her "number one fan." Anu said, "Having my debut film's world premiere in Shanghai on the eve of Eid with a packed audience was surreal. Waking up to roses on Eid morning was an indescribable feeling."
"Shikolbaha" is a joint production between Germany's Weydemann Bros and Bangladesh's Studio Beginning. The film's screenplay was previously selected for La Fabrique Cinéma at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. The project has won several awards, including grants from the Berlin Film Festival and the Gothenburg Film Festival.
Producer Sara Afreen said, "We embraced the invitation to compete in Asia's largest festival. We've been trying to tell our own stories our own way since 'Shunte Ki Pao!'"
Newcomer Fauzia Karim Anu, who plays the lead role, shared her excitement, saying, "It's incredible to have my first film in the main competition at Shanghai. The experience on set was like a semester course. Kamar bhai and Sara apa helped me discover my character, Ruba, myself."
