Bangladesh nominates 'Boli the Wrestler' for Oscar

Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury’s film Boli The Wrestler, which won the New Currents Award at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 2022, has been selected to represent Bangladesh in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards. The announcement was made by the seven-member 'Oscar Bangladesh Committee,' chaired by filmmaker Motin Rahman, after a comprehensive review process. The committee's coordinator, Robin Shams, confirmed the selection, marking a significant achievement as this is the first time a Bangladeshi film has received recognition at this prestigious festival. Funded by the Bangladesh government during the 2020-21 fiscal year, Boli The Wrestler features Nasir Uddin Khan as a volatile fisherman from a coastal village. The film was shot continuously in the coastal areas of Chittagong between April and May 2022, with co-producers Saiful Azim and Syed Gousul Alam Shaon backing the project. Now, the film is set to compete for an Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category.