Entertainment Desk:

Prominent Bangladeshi actress Mehazabien Chowdhury has made her debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), one of the world’s largest and most prestigious film festivals, with her first movie, “Saba”.

During the festival, she had the opportunity to meet the renowned actress Naomi Watts.

Naomi Watts, known for her roles in popular Hollywood films including Oscar-nominated “21 Grams” (2003) and “The Impossible” (2012), “The Ring” (2002), “I Heart Huckabees” (2004), “King Kong”(2005) and many others, shared a moment with Mehazabien.

Watts is currently attending the film festival with her film “The Friend”. The drama, about heartbreak, art, and a very big dog, is screening at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.

Mehazabien posted a photo on social media with the iconic actress, captioning it as her “fangirl moment with Naomi Watts at TIFF.”

Her debut film “Saba” had its world premiere on September 7. The film’s first screening at the 11-day Toronto festival was held on Saturday. However, the actress herself could not secure a ticket to the opening show, she informed.

Within hours of tickets being released on the festival’s website, all were sold out.

Another screening of “Saba” happened on Sunday (September 8). According to the festival’s website, there will also be a third show on September 14.

Maksud Hossain is set to make his feature directorial debut with “Saba” at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film follows a young woman in Dhaka, who becomes the sole caregiver for her paraplegic mother. Inspired by personal experience, Hossain and his wife, Trilora Khan, co-wrote the script, drawing from Khan’s 25 years of caring for her mother. After his father-in-law’s sudden death from Covid-19, Hossain envisioned a story about a lower-middle-class woman facing caregiving challenges alone, without family or financial resources.

Bangladeshi TV star Mehazabien Chowdhury was cast as “Saba” after a rigorous audition process, marking her film debut. Veteran actor Rokeya Prachy and art house actor Mostafa Monwar are also featured in the film.

Hossain insisted on a six-month rehearsal process to help Mehazabien develop her character. The emotionally charged filming process moved the crew to tears, with Hossain pushing the actors to tap into deep emotions.

Influenced by the Dardenne brothers, Ritwik Ghatak, and Satyajit Ray, Hossain aims to deliver an emotionally truthful story about the difficulty of letting go, reports Variety. “Saba” also highlights the harsh realities of life in Dhaka, addressing issues like contaminated water in high-end neighbourhoods.

Hossain sees “Saba” as part of a resurgence in Bangladeshi cinema, citing recent festival successes as inspiration. The film’s next stop is the Busan International Film Festival, and Hossain is already working on a new project, a loose trilogy inspired by Lars von Trier’s “Golden Heart” trilogy.