Kolkata:
Bangladeshi film Guerrilla, which recreates the heroic deeds of the valiant freedom fighters of the 1971 liberation war on an epic canvas, today won the best Asian film award at the 17th Kolkata Film Festival (KFF).
Altogether 12 films were competing in the Asian Selectsection for the award.
This was for the first time that a separate competitive section was added to KFF, which was so far the oldest non-competitive film festival in the country.
Directed by eminent Bangladeshi theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuf, 'Guerrilla' is regarded as one of the best Bangladeshi movies ever made on the history of liberation and has set the box office on fire in the neighbouring country.
The film is based on Syed Shamsul Haq's novel Nishiddho Loban and the director's personal war-time experiences as a freedom fighter.
Released in April this year, it narrates the gripping tale of Bilkis whose husband disappears as the Liberation War breaks out. As the war progresses, Bilkis finds herself being drawn to the freedom movement. She starts actively collaborating with the freedom fighters, hoping for the safe return of her husband.
"The film is a very brave attempt in recreating the genocide which happened during the Bangladesh war. I have attempted to tell the stories which have never been told before," an elated Yousuf told PTI after winning the award.
Some of the other films competing in the section were Chinese film Aftershock, Iran's A Meeting, Ravi Jadhav's The Story of Balgandharva, Korea's Dance Town and Bengali film Ichhe.
Altogether 12 films were competing in the Asian Selectsection for the award.
This was for the first time that a separate competitive section was added to KFF, which was so far the oldest non-competitive film festival in the country.
Directed by eminent Bangladeshi theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuf, 'Guerrilla' is regarded as one of the best Bangladeshi movies ever made on the history of liberation and has set the box office on fire in the neighbouring country.
The film is based on Syed Shamsul Haq's novel Nishiddho Loban and the director's personal war-time experiences as a freedom fighter.
Released in April this year, it narrates the gripping tale of Bilkis whose husband disappears as the Liberation War breaks out. As the war progresses, Bilkis finds herself being drawn to the freedom movement. She starts actively collaborating with the freedom fighters, hoping for the safe return of her husband.
"The film is a very brave attempt in recreating the genocide which happened during the Bangladesh war. I have attempted to tell the stories which have never been told before," an elated Yousuf told PTI after winning the award.
Some of the other films competing in the section were Chinese film Aftershock, Iran's A Meeting, Ravi Jadhav's The Story of Balgandharva, Korea's Dance Town and Bengali film Ichhe.