Bangladesh has officially selected Leesa Gazi-directed film titled Barir Naam Shahana to compete in the ‘Best International Feature Film Category’ at the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars) scheduled for March 15, 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in the United States.
Leesa Gazi becomes the first woman to represent Bangladesh in the international feature film category.
The film Barir Naam Shahana won the Gender Sensitivity award at Mumbai Film Festival in India in 2023.
The announcement came on Saturday morning at an event titled Meet the Press organised by Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
A jury committee comprising six members selected Barir Naam Shahana from five Bangladeshi films for the Oscars.
The other films were Mayna directed by Monjurul Islam Megh, Priyo Maloti directed by Shankha Dasgupta, Saba directed by Maksud Hossain and Nakshi Kanthar Zamin directed by Akram Hossain Khan.
The jury committee comprises federation president Mohammd Zahirul Isalm, film critic and journalist Sajjad Sharif, cinematographer and cameraman Rashed Zaman, filmmaker Shaheen Dill-Riaz, Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association representative Shahreen Akter Sumi and Dhaka University television, film and photography department chairman SM Imran Hossain.
At the event Mohammd Zahirul Isalm announced the nomination while Shahreen Akter Sumi and SM Imran Hossain were present at the event.
Barir Naam Shahana is based on the true story of a woman who grew up in a rural conservative society in the ’90s in Bangladesh.
Aanon Siddiqua played lead role, while other characters in the film were played by Lutfur Rahman George, Iresh Zaker, Kazi Ruma, Naila Azad and Jayanto Chattopadhyay, among others.
