Kolkata: Bangladeshi feature film 'Jaya Aar Sharmin' and documentary 'Mamun: In Praise of Shadows' have won awards at the 5th World Film Festival Kolkata 2026, which concluded Sunday at Nandan in Kolkata, India. Directed by Piplu R Khan, 'Jaya Aar Sharmin' received the Bimal Roy Golden Award for Best Feature Film, while Makbul Chowdhury's 'Mamun: In Praise of Shadows' received a Jury Mention in the documentary section.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the festival was organised by the Eastern Region of the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) and featured 38 films over six days. The competition included 19 feature films from various countries including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Spain, Germany, Costa Rica, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, and Uzbekistan. Bangladesh was represented by 'Jaya Aar Sharmin' and Nurul Alam Atique's 'Manusher Bagan' in the feature-film competition, with 'Mamun: In Praise of Shadows' selected for the documentary section.
The competition jury comprised Professor Ujjal Chakraborty, Dr Rita Dutta, and Dr Pradeep Kenchanuru. The closing ceremony and awards presentation were held at Nandan-III on Sunday, attended by notable figures such as actor Jaya Ahsan, filmmaker Sudeshna Roy, and Dr Sisir Sahana, a professor at Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.
Prominent filmmakers, artists, and industry professionals present at the ceremony included director Boban Govindan, producer M Rahman Lenin, actors Orchita Sporshia and Manoj Pramanik, cinematographer Joaher Musavvir Jyoti, and music director Debojyoti Mishra. Producer Abu Shahed Emon expressed pride over 'Jaya Aar Sharmin's international recognition, noting its reception among critics and cinema audiences marked an encouraging moment for Bangladeshi cinema.
Directed and co-written by Piplu R Khan, with Nusrat Islam Maati as co-writer, 'Jaya Aar Sharmin' is an 86-minute psychological drama set during the pandemic lockdown. The film delves into the changing relationship and shifting power dynamics between an actress, played by Jaya Ahsan, and her domestic aide Sharmin, portrayed by theatre actor Mohsina Akhter. Tanjim Saiyara Totini appears in a guest role. The film was jointly produced by Abu Shahed Emon of Golpo Rajjo Films, Jaya Ahsan of C Te Cinema, and Piplu R Khan of Applebox Films.
Meanwhile, 'Mamun: In Praise of Shadows' highlights the life and work of renowned Ekushey Padak-winning Bangladeshi photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, who pioneered artistic portrait photography in the country during the 1970s. Festival Director Premendra Majumder noted that the programme was selected through a competitive curation process involving numerous international submissions.