Entertainment Desk:

Two critically acclaimed Bangladeshi productions, “Saba” and “Pett Kata Shaw”, have been officially selected for screening at the prestigious Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025, under the Subcontinent category. The festival will run from August 14 to 30.

Directed by Maksud Hossain, “Saba” stars Mehazabien Chowdhury in the titular role and made its international premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last year. Since then, it has been screened at over 10 international film festivals.

The film tells the story of a middle-class woman, Saba, who becomes the sole caregiver for her bedridden mother following her father’s death. Faced with financial hardship and emotional trauma, Saba’s world spirals further when her mother suffers a heart attack.

“Saba” will be screened on August 17 at the festival.

Joining Saba is Nuhash Humayun’s horror anthology “Pett Kata Shaw”, which will be showcased in two special screenings on August 20 and 24. The series blends fantasy, horror, and mystery, with stories co-written by Nuhash and his mother, renowned poet Gulatekin Khan. The series stars Afzal Hossain, Mosharraf Karim, and Sumaiya Shimu in key roles.

Alongside Bangladeshi entries, the IFFM will also feature several Bengali-language films from West Bengal, including “Baksho Bondi” by Tanushree Das and Soumyananda Sahi, “Puraton” by Suman Ghosh, and “Ohona” by Promita Bhowmik.

This year’s IFFM will also pay tribute to legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak on his birth centenary. Restored versions of his iconic films “Titash Ekti Nadir Naam” and “Meghe Dhaka Tara” will be screened as part of the celebration.