A Bangladeshi filmmaker is making an international splash. Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad's debut feature, 'The Blind Girl and an Elephant,' premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival, competing in the Asian New Talent section. The film follows three women in a remote Bangladeshi village—Momi, who is blind; Hima, a young schoolgirl; and Laili, who is pregnant—as they dream of escaping the world that confines them. According to Variety, this premiere marks a significant moment for South Asian cinema.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton