Bangladeshi ‘Sand City’ secures worldwide sales deal ahead of festival premiere

Bangladeshi director Mahde Hasan's debut feature film "Sand City" has been acquired by Bangkok-based sales company Diversion for worldwide sales (excluding Bangladesh and Switzerland). The film will have its world premiere in the Proxima Competition at the 2025 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 

"Sand City", produced by Rubaiyat Hossain and Aadnan Imtiaz Ahmed under Khona Talkies in association with Cinema Cocoon, previously won the CNC Development Award at Locarno Open Doors and was featured at La Fabrique Cinéma, Produire au Sud, and Film Bazaar. It also received support from Visions Sud Est.

The film follows two characters linked by sand. One day, Emma (played by Victoria Chakma) finds a severed finger while collecting cat litter, sparking a grim obsession. Meanwhile Hasan (played by Mostafa Monwar) steals sand from a washing plant to craft glass at home—spiraling into a dangerous fantasy of building a glass empire.

Mostafa Monwar, acclaimed for his award-winning performance in "Live from Dhaka" and his role in "Made in Bangladesh", brings weight to the film. The cinematography is helmed by Mathieu Giombini, head of cinematography at La Fémis, bringing a distinct European arthouse flair to the project.

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The rights deal was negotiated between Mai Meksawan of Diversion and producer Aadnan Imtiaz Ahmed. The acquisition marks another step forward for Bangladeshi cinema's global momentum.