Bangladesh's political thriller 'Master' directed by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit premiered at the 73rd Sydney Film Festival on June 4. The 12-day international festival features over 240 films from more than 70 countries, including 26 films directly from the Cannes Film Festival. 'Master' is the only Bangladeshi film among the five selected from South Asia, marking a significant achievement for Bangladeshi cinema.
The film, which previously won the 'Big Screen Award' at the 54th Rotterdam International Film Festival in January, is set in the fictional upazila of Mohganj and reflects the political dynamics of Bangladesh. The story revolves around an idealistic teacher's entry into politics and his moral transformation due to the lure of power. The film stars Nasir Uddin Khan, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Zakia Bari Mamo, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Lutfur Rahman George, Sharif Siraj, and Tasnova Tamanna.
The Sydney Film Festival's artistic director, Justin Martinyuk, praised the film's depth and its portrayal of women's rights. The film's Australian premiere was met with acclaim from both local and international audiences. The film will have another special screening on June 8, where the director will engage in a Q&A session with the audience. 'Master' is scheduled for a general release in Bangladesh in August.
Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, a graduate of Dhaka University's IBA and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, is known for his previous film 'Nonazlar Kaby', which received international acclaim and earned him the 'Spike Lee Writing Grant' for its screenplay.
