As a cinephile with a penchant for discovering hidden gems from around the globe, I am beyond thrilled about Bangladesh’s submission to the 2025 Oscars – Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury’s masterpiece, “Boli (The Wrestler)”. Having grown up in the vibrant and culturally rich coastal areas of South Asia myself, the mystic allure of the film’s setting resonates deeply with me.
2025 Oscars: Bangladesh has chosen Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury’s critically acclaimed debut film “Boli (The Wrestler)” as its entry in the best international feature film category. This movie won the New Currents prize at the 2023 Busan International Film Festival and was well-received by critics during the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
In this film, I find myself embodying an unusual fisherman, determined to outshine the reigning wrestler at Boli Khela – a captivating, age-old wrestling style hailing from Chattogram, Bangladesh’s bustling second city. The narrative unfolds in a secluded coastal village during the late ’90s, where it intertwines local legends about dervishes (Sufis), mahi sawars (fish riders), and enigmatic beings rumored to be disguised angels.
In his director’s statement, Chowdhury mentioned that a key aspect of this film is the mysterious allure of the coastal region. Unlike typical wrestling matches, ‘Boli Khela’ moves at a leisurely pace and focuses more on technique and perseverance. The film seamlessly merges mysticism with contemporary discussions.
The film co-stars Nasir Uddin Khan, Angel Noor and AKM Itmam and Priyam Archi (No Ground Under The Feet, last year’s Oscar submission from Bangladesh). It was produced by Piplu R Khan.
Before diving into the world of Boli, I, a gamer from Toronto, embarked on a creative journey by writing, directing, and producing three short films. My cinematic journey began with Teeth in 2016, followed by Dhaka 2.00 in 2017, and culminating with Rowai in 2018. All of these projects were the result of my postgraduate studies in filmmaking from Centennial College.
Bangladesh has been submitting movies for the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards since 2002, however, it still hasn’t received a nomination.
On December 17th, we’ll reveal the nominees for the best international feature films competing at the 97th Academy Awards. The nominations themselves will be announced on January 17th. Finally, the winners of the 2025 Academy Awards will be revealed on Sunday, March 2nd.
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2024-10-03 16:24