During the Asian Film Competition section of the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF), Bangladesh concluded with two Indian films winning awards for best script writer and best actress in the Asian Film Competition category. In addition to winning the best scriptwriting award for the Anik Dutta directed film Aparajito (The Undefeated), Ketaki Narayan was also awarded the best actress award for her role in Krishnendu Kalesh’s Prappeda (Hawk’s Muffin) as the best actress.
Several dance performances were prior to the award giving ceremony, including a performance of the traditional dance from the hill areas of Bangladesh performed by the artists of the Shilpkala Academy among others. Japan’s Ikkei Watanabe won the best actor award for his performance in the movie Nakodo – Matchmakers (Marriage Counselors).
There was a jury award presented for the best film award at the DIFF for the Iranian film Bi-Mother (Motherless). A top award for best film was won by the Khandaker Sumon directed film Saatao (Memories of Gloomy Monsoons) in the Bangladesh panorama category.
In the Women Filmmakers section, the award for best documentary was given to the Sri Lankan film ‘Our Mother, Grandmother, Prime Minister: Sirimavo,’ about the life of Sri Lanka’s first woman Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike. There was no contest for the best feature film award at the Women Filmmakers section. In this category, Akouse Me (Listen) by Maria Douza from Greece won the award for best feature film.
The film Alle Wollen Gelibet Werden (Everybody wants to be loved) directed by Katharina Woll was adjudged the best director of the year in this category. The audience chose Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s Hawa as the best film, and Fakhrul Arefeen Khan’s JK 1971 won the special audience prize.