Chaitali Somadder’s short film “Mariyam” continues to travel the international festival circuit, with its latest screening at the 29th Religion Today Film Festival held in Trento, Italy. The film, produced and directed by Somadder with a grant from the Bangladesh government, has now been shown at festivals in Kolkata, Pune, Brussels, Senegal and Dhaka, in addition to receiving two international awards.
What “Mariyam” Is About
The film follows Mariyam, a teenage girl from a village whose life is upended after she is found unconscious and injured near a river. Rashed, a hijra villager, discovers her while out rowing and brings her to her parents. The story takes a further turn when a group of perpetrators records footage of the assault and circulates it online, causing the video to spread through the village.
Through Mariyam’s story, the film examines her physical and psychological trauma, her parents’ distress, and the social pressure that follows within a close-knit rural community, while looking more broadly at the consequences of violence against a young woman in that setting.
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Recognition at Home
“Mariyam” was named Best Short Film at the National Film Awards 2023, an honour announced in 2026. The film’s cast is made up largely of theatre practitioners from Barishal alongside local residents, with Jannatul Priti, Boishakhi Somadder and Saiful Islam Panna in the principal roles.
A Growing International Footprint
With this latest screening in Italy, “Mariyam” adds to a festival run that already spans several countries and continents. The film’s continued presence on the international circuit reflects growing recognition for Bangladeshi short filmmaking on global platforms, and for Somadder’s work in bringing a difficult, socially rooted story to audiences well beyond the country where it was made.
