Matir Moina

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Matir Moina
Film poster
Film poster
Bengaliমাটির ময়না
Directed byTareque Masud
Written byTareque Masud
Screenplay by
Story byTareque Masud
Produced byCatherine Masud
Starring
CinematographySudheer Palsane
Edited byCatherine Masud
Music byMoushumi Bhowmik
Production
companies
  • MK2 Diffusion
  • Audiovision
Distributed by
  • MK2 Diffusion
  • Milestone Film & Video
  • Audiovision
  • ICA Projects
Release dates
Running time
98 minutes
CountryBangladesh
LanguageBengali
Budget$300,000
Box officeest. US$46,852

Matir Moina (

1969 Mass uprising in East Pakistan on the eve of Bangladesh Liberation War. The film stars Nurul Islam Bablu, Russell Farazi, Jayanta Chattopadhyay, Rokeya Prachy, Soaeb Islam and Lameesa R. Reemjheem in the lead role. It is considered one of the best Bangladeshi films of 21st century.[1]

The film deals with its historical references during the independence of Bangladesh. It portrays the experiences of a young protagonist, his family, his teachers and his life at the madrasah. Production began with initial funding from the

French government. The film was officially screened on 15 May 2002 at the 55th Cannes Film Festival
. Produced by Catherine Masud, the film grossed about US$48,752 at the box office after its release.

The film was initially banned in Bangladesh. After the expulsion order was revoked,

FIPRESCI Prize in section Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2004, the film won the National Film Awards for Best Child Artist and Best Screenplay. The film also won various domestic and international awards, including awards in five categories at the 24th Bachsas Awards. It was Bangladesh's first submission for Best Foreign Language Film category at the 75th Academy Awards in 2002.[2]

Plot

The film is set in the late 1960s, during the unrest period in

folk-songs, Puthi recitation, Chaitra Sankranti or Charak Puja, embroidery, rural fairs, Bahas etc.[4]

Finally, Kazi sent Anu to a Madrasa (Islamic school) because of his religious beliefs. At the Madrasa, Anu met and befriended Rokon (Russell Farazi), an outcast student, who invites him to play catch with an imaginary ball. Rokon's role is different than other students.[5] After all, Anu tried to adjust to life away from home. Suddenly his younger sister Asma falls ill and dies because of Kazi's refusal to use modern medicines. On the other hands, at the Madrasa Rokon suffer an eccentric misfit and forced by the headmaster to undergo an exorcism by ducking in the freezing pond to cure himself of Jinn.

As the political upheaval reached a critical stage, internal crises began to occur in Anu's family. As political divisions intensified, moderate and extremist ideologies developed in Anu's Madrasa and growing divisions arose. The same picture of division is seen in Anu's family and her independent mother Ayesha. Kazi, who still believes in the religious unity of Pakistan, in the face of cruel, contradictory events. A shattering political development then changes their town, their life, and the inner dynamics of the family, including the patriarch's role. The film, which focuses on religious liberalism, cultural diversity and the incomprehensibility of Islam, has universal relevance in a troubled world.

Cast

  • Nurul Islam Bablu as Anu
  • Russell Farazi as Zayan Chowdhury, Anu's friend
  • Jayanta Chattopadhyay as Kazi, Anu's father
  • Rokeya Prachy as Ayesha Bibi, Anu's mother
  • Soaeb Islam as Milon, Anu's uncle
  • Lameesa R. Reemjheem as Asma, Anu's sister
  • Moin Ahmed as Ibrahim, Madrasa teacher
  • Md. Moslemuddin as Bakiullah headmaster
  • Abdul Karim as Halim Mia
  • Shah Alom Dewan as Karim boatman
  • Golam Mahmud as Shaheen, Milon's friend
  • Pradip Mittra Mithun as Uttam, Milon's friend
  • Auyon Chowdhury as 3rd Friend
  • Masud Ali Khan as Khan Bahadur
  • Amena Khatun as Taser's Mother
  • Manjila Begum as Female singer-Night concert
  • Aynal Mia as Male singer-Day Concert
  • Nasima Aktar as Female Singer-Day Concert
  • Abdul Malek as Night Concert Accompanist
  • Gurudhan as Night Concert Accompanist
  • Nuru Mia Chisty as Night Concert Accompanist
  • Shafique as Day Concert Accompanist
  • Majibur Rahman as Day Concert Accompanist
  • Iman Ali Sarkar as Day Concert Accompanist
  • Abdul Kadir as Day Concert Accompanist
  • Ibrahim Boyati as Ferry Boat Singer
  • Gulam Rabbani
  • Kazi Tamanna
  • Shiuly Ahmed
  • Naznin Sultana
  • Mohiuddin Sarkar
  • Nayaran Banik
  • Lokman
  • Pulak
Other Madrasa Students
  • Kamrul
  • Jashim 1
  • Jashim 2
  • Kashem
  • Akhter
  • Sohel
  • Shamim
  • Apu
  • Imran
  • Bahadur
  • Hasan
  • Kamal
  • Yahia
  • Rasel
  • Omar Faruk Uzzal
  • Sajib
  • Tofajjal
  • Taher
  • Moktar
  • Khokon
  • Liton
  • Jahangir

Pre-production

"The film is a reflection of my life. The protagonist in the film is what I have been. I was sent to a Madrasa where I studied till the age of 15 and the film just portrays what I experienced."
— Tareque Masud[6]

Since many years, Tareque and

35 mm camera equipment and necessary laboratory facilities.[11] Later, Paris-based production and distribution company Mk2, was contracted to co-produce and distribute the film internationally.[12][11]
Multiple producers co-produced the film with Catherine.

Production

At the end of 2000, a year and a half of film production began in Bhanga, Faridpur. Masood and Catherine invested almost their entire savings in projects involving ambitious massive seasonal shooting and timing publication design. The characters made up entirely of non-professional actors, including street children, Madrasa students-teachers, rural folk musicians and villagers. As the first Bangladeshi feature, Matir Moina using the live sound recording to capture spontaneous performances and live ambience.[11] The film was also shot on actual locations in rural settings and small towns in Dhamrai and Faridpur, during all winter, monsoon and spring seasons.[11] It was completed in early 2002.[11]

Post-production

Music and soundtrack

All tracks are written by A.T. Masud

No.TitleMusicPerformer(s)Length
1."Pakhita Bondi Aachhe" (The Bird is Trapped in the Body's Cage)TraditionalMomtaz3:38
2."Puthi Recitation" (Recitation) Shah Alam Dewan 
3."Shere Khoda Ali Sabe" (The Ballad of Fatema) Ibrahim Boyati 
4."Jodi Bheste Jaite" (If You Wish to Go to Heaven) Aynal Mia, Momtaz4:22

Release

Screening

As the first Bangladeshi feature film, it was initially screened on 15 May 2002 at the 55th Cannes Film Festival in Directors' Fortnight section.[11][13] In addition to its commercial release in Europe and Americas, the film was screened at multiple festivals in later years. In August 2002, the film was screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Montreal World Film Festival in Canada.[14] In the same year on 9 October it was screened at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain,[15] and the Cairo International Film Festival in Egypt.[16]

On 11 January 2003, the film was screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in the United States.[17] In the same year on 9 February, it was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. On 5 April 2003, the film was selected at the New Directors/New Film Festival, jointly organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City and the Museum of Modern Art.[11] It was screened on 17 December at the 8th International Film Festival of Kerala in India.[18] On 15 February 2004, the film was screened at the Dublin International Film Festival in Ireland. A press screening was held on 24 March. In 2015, Matir Moina was screened at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy as the inaugural film at the Bangladesh Film Festival.[19] In 2016, an exhibition of the film was organized at the Indian embassy at the initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[20] In April 2019, the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi, Pakistan, organized an exhibition of the film in Karachi in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Dhaka.[21]

Commercial release

Outside its home country, the film was initially released in theatres in France. Due to its ban, the film was not initially screened commercially in Bangladesh. However, the film was later released commercially in only two theatres in Dhaka.[22] The film was released on 30 April 2004 in New York and San Francisco coastal theatres.[16][23] In October 2002, the film was released in Dhaka. Later year, on 4 July 2003, it was released commercially in the United Kingdom as the first Bangladeshi film. In the same year on 14 August, it was recorded due to a 4-week long exhibition in Dhaka.[11] The film was re-released commercially on 29 July 2006 in Kolkata, India.[24]

Controversy and censorship

After the initial screening at Cannes, the film got international press coverage for its positive portrayal of Bangladesh as well as its tolerant traditions. Due to its religious content the film was banned from public screening in the country by the

Bangladesh Supreme Court, Appellate Division, and the decision in their favor was reversed.[11]
As a result, the film was allowed to be released in Bangladesh in late 2002.

Television broadcasting

Channel Four, the UK-based public service television broadcasting company, bought the broadcasting rights from ICA, the UK distributor of the film. In July 2005, as the first Bangladeshi film it was on-air in UK television.[16] The film was later televised in Argentina on 26 September 2006, and in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2006.[27]

Critical reception

Medium Rating/% Critic(s)
AllMovie[28] -
AlloCiné[29] 13
Metacritic[30] 75 14
Rotten Tomatoes[31] 89% 27

"Easily one of the finest pictures of this year or any other. Masud's expansive fluidity is rapturous, inspired equally by the floating equanimity of Satyajit Ray and the work of the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, who deftly uses ritual behavior to provide social commentary."

Elvis Mitchell, The New York Times[10]

Matir Moina mainly received positive reviews from critics, viewers and film connoisseurs, who commented on the film's historical and social impact. The film received an average rating of 4/5 on the movie review website

Allmovie.[28] The French film database AlloCiné has an average rating of 3.5/5 based on 13 reviews.[29] On the film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 89% based on 27 reviews, with a rating average of 7.57/10. The site's critical consensus reads, it "has a kind of twofold eloquence."[31] Metacritic, which gave its reviews a weighted average rating, with the film scoring 75 based on 14 critics, including "generally favorable reviews".[30]

Le Fleuve.[33] Ty Burr of The Boston Globe stated that the connection between personal, political and spiritual instability is revealed with the pure imagination of the autopsy.[34] American film critic Frank Scheck writes in The Hollywood Reporter, the producers' clear sympathy for the film's characters and close knowledge of its subject matter makes the film come alive. Michael O'Sullivan commented in a review of The Washington Post that The Clay Bird hits a number of beautiful and lazy trends about the human condition.[35] According to Eric Monder of Film Journal International, the film is somewhat restrained for its own drama, but at least for a contemporary audience, it sheds light on a significant part of world history. Marty Mapes of Movie Habit comments that the film is a good piece of armchair anthropology.[36] American film historian and critic Elias Savada said, "The Clay Bird is a incredibly humbling experience."[37] American writer and film critic Phil Hall stated in Film Threat, it a great film in Bangladesh. American journalist and historian Elliott Stein said, "The Clay Bird recalls the empathy for childhood's innocence and lust for living—as well as the visual rapture and naturalness—of Satyajit Ray's great Pather Panchali."[38] According to the BBC's Jamie Russell, Anu skillfully created an increasingly gentle portrait of Masud during his transition through childhood.[39] According to Sean Axmaker of Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the film is a timeless work with clear and elusive and almost historical features.[40] Jamal Malik, a professor of German Islamic Studies of Pakistani descent, said the story of Matir Moina is presented in a textual structure similar to European art cinema.[41] Indian filmmaker Aparna Sen praises the film.[42][43]

Accolades

Tareque Masud was commemorated on Google Doodle on 6 December 2016, on his 60th birthday. Where a iconic bird represents the film Matir Moina.[44][45]

List of awards and nominations
Organization Year Category Recipients & nominees Result Ref.(s)
Bangladesh Cine-Journalist Association 2003
Best Film
 Tareque Masud, Catherine Masud Won [46]
Best Director
 Tareque Masud Won
Best Story
 Tareque Masud Won
Best screenplay Tareque Masud Won
Best editing Catherine Masud Won
Best art-direction Kazi Rakib Won
Cannes Film Festival 2002 FIPRESCI Prize in section Directors' Fortnight Tareque Masud Won [47]
Channel I Film Awards 2003 Best film Tareque Masud Won [48]
Directors Guild of Great Britain 2004 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Foreign Language Film Tareque Masud Nominated [49]
Kara Film Festival 2003 Best Feature Film Tareque Masud Won [48][49][50]
Best Musical Score Moushumi Bhowmik Won [51]
Marrakech International Film Festival 2002 Best Film Tareque Masud Nominated
Best Screenplay Tareque Masud, Catherine Masud Won [52][48][53]
National Film Awards 2002 Best Child Artist Russell Farazi Won [54]
Best Child Artist (Special prize) Nurul Islam Bablu Won
Best Screenplay Tareque Masud Won

Home media

On 16 June 2004, the film was released on DVD (only for Region 2) by its French producer, distributor and world sales representative

VCD and DVD versions of the film was released in Bangladesh on 15 April 2005 from Laser Vision.[16] Which includes an additional two-hours documentary, featuring scenes, interviews and audience feedback. It is considered as the first interactive DVD in Bangladesh.[16]

The film was released in DVD version in late 2005 by its North American distributor Milestone Films.[56]

Sequel

Main article: Kagojer Phul

See also

  • List of Bangladeshi submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References

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  2. ^ "Press Conference Statement". ctmasud.site.aplus.net. 4 November 2002. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  3. ^ Awal, Sajedul (28 June 2012). তারেক মাসুদ তাঁর লোকচলচ্চিত্র. Kali O Kalam (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
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  5. News18. Archived from the original
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Sources

External links

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