The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s Department of Theatre and Film has officially launched the 5-day ‘Fourth Bangladesh Short and Documentary Film Festival 2025’. Running from May 27 to May 31, 2025, the festival is simultaneously taking place in all eightdivisional cities across the country.
The National Theatre Hall’s inauguration ceremony featured prominent filmmaker Anam Biswas as the keynote guest. During the launch, Mohammad Warech Hossain, Secretary and Acting Director General of the Academy, emphasized that this festival is not just for filmmakers, but a significant celebration for audiences too. He expressed the desire for greater engagement between filmmakers and viewers to further enrich the film industry.
This year’s festival received 300 film submissions, comprising 209 fiction films and 91 documentaries. The selection committee’s evaluation resulted in 89 films being selected for display: 60 fiction films and 29 documentary films. At the festival’s conclusion, a jury committee will announce awards for Best Film, Best Director, and a Special JuryAward from the selected entries.
The prize money for the Best Film award is set at BDT 150,000, for Best Director, BDT100,000, and for the Special Jury Award, BDT 50,000. Furthermore, BDT 30,000 will be awarded to the best in cinematography, editing, sound design, and production design categories.
On Friday, May 30, 2025, the National Theatre Hall will host a special masterclass dedicated to sound and cinematography. Up to 30 filmmakers will receive training from instructors Nahid Masud and Rashed Zaman.
This event seeks to bolster the growth of the nation’s cinema and play a role in developing humanitarian and societal principles. Crucially, it offers a platform for all involved in film to present their work and expand their expertise.
Everyone is welcome to attend the festival, which will have a set schedule of events in all eight divisional cities.
