Bangla

A charming romantic comedy that unfolds a kaleidoscope of cultures. Director and lead actor Phaim Bhuiyan brings his personal story to the screen with a great deal of self-irony and charm. The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2019 and paints a vivid portrait of 22-year-old Phaim. He lives in Rome in the multi-ethnic Torpignattara district and faces daily challenges that combine his Bengali heritage with modern, Western values. As a museum guard and rock band leader, Phaim meets Asia, a young Italian woman who turns his life upside down. Her free-spirited nature and her urge to break the rules immediately fascinate Phaim. But their budding love comes up against cultural barriers: Phaim is Muslim, and Islam forbids him from having sexual relations before marriage. As he wrestles with this internal conflict, he is confronted with his family's expectations, which traditionally envisage a Bengali bride for him. The film won the 2020 David di Donatello Award for Best New Director, making it not only an exploration of love across cultural boundaries, but also a testament to Bhuiyan's directorial talent. BANGLA takes the audience on an emotional journey that shows how young people in multi-ethnic societies search for their place and often find themselves caught between two stools.