For the first time, a Bangladeshi film has been officially selected for the Short Film competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, the short film "Ali" will compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or in the short film category. This is a historic and proud moment for the country's cinema and its filmmakers. At the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival—one of the most esteemed platforms in global cinema—Bangladesh has made a significant mark.

"Ali" is the first Bangladeshi short film to be listed in the official selection of the Cannes short film competition. It will contend for the Palme d'Or alongside films from around the world.

The short film is directed by Adnan Al Rajeev and produced by Bangladesh's Tanveer Hossain and the Philippines' Kristine De Leon. The line production was handled by Runout Films. "This milestone is sure to delight film enthusiasts in the country and, more importantly, inspire young filmmakers," said producer Tanveer Hossain.

"We don't usually give short films the attention they deserve. But it is through such work that a young and new filmmaker matures and gains experience. I believe our film making it to Cannes' official competition is an inspiring event. With this achievement, we want to say—we, too, create work of global standard," says Tanveer Hossain.

Adnan Al Rajeev

Due to festival regulations, director Adnan Al Rajeev could not disclose much about the film. However, he shared that filming took place in Sylhet in November 2024. Offering a brief insight into the story, Adnan said, "Through a personal journey, we have tried to explore an unavoidable truth. Our approach was to present it in a simple, beautiful, and sincere way."

The film's executive producer, Habibur Rahman Tarek, mentioned he was confident from the beginning that international audiences would appreciate the story. "I know the director and the producers personally, and I'm well aware of the kind of work they do. That gave me confidence in the project. I paid special attention to its quality. I firmly believe that we have now gained the capacity to produce work of international standards. We are very confident in our filmmaking," he said.

Adnan and Tanveer's journey with Cannes doesn't end here. "Ali" was produced under the banner of Catalogue, a production company founded by Adnan Al Rajeev, Tanveer Hossain, Kristine De Leon, and Arvin Belarmino. Catalogue was established to foster connections in filmmaking across South and Southeast Asia.

As part of this vision, "Ali" from Bangladesh, directed by Adnan, and "Agapito" from the Philippines, co-directed by Arvin and Kylar, were produced. Adnan and Tanveer also served as co-producers on "Agapito". Remarkably, both films from the same production house have secured spots in Cannes' main short film competition, vying for the Palme d'Or.

All things considered, Bangladesh is set for a vibrant presence at the 78th Cannes Film Festival with its official entries: the short films "Ali" and "Agapito" in the main competition category.