The short film "What If" has won the Best Film Award in the Panorama Talent Section at the 24th Dhaka International Film Festival. The film was directed by Tanha Tabassum, a student of the 2023–24 session of the Department of Film and Television at Jagannath University.
The names of the winners in various categories, including Best Film, were announced at the festival’s closing ceremony held last Sunday (January 18) at the main auditorium of the National Museum.
Tanha Tabassum said, “This is the first film I have made. While commuting on public transport, we face various problems, and the film is based on the idea of how those challenges can be dealt with. This is a very big achievement for me.”
The cast of the short film includes Hasan Al Sabit, Tasnim Suchi, Kabya Raha, Alvi Abib, and Sain Ahmed Pabon. Arifur Rahman served as the Chief Assistant Director, while Rudra Banerjee was the First Assistant Director. Mursalin handled color grading, Saikat Sinha was responsible for sound mixing and design, and Jannatul Tosha worked as the vocal artist. The film’s Executive Producer was Alvi Abib, and the Creative Producer was Shah Sakib Sobhan.
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It is worth mentioning that the 24th Dhaka International Film Festival, held under the slogan “Aesthetic Cinema, Mindful Audience, Enlightened Society,” began on January 10 and concluded with the closing ceremony on January 18. One of the most prestigious film festivals in Asia, the event showcased 245 films from 91 countries around the world.