Adnan Al Rajeev’s ‘Ali’ bags another international accolade

Filmmaker Adnan Al Rajeev continues to earn international recognition for his acclaimed short film “Ali”, which has once again brought home a prestigious honour from the global festival circuit.

The film has now won the Special Mention for Best Short Fiction at the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal (SAFFM), adding another milestone to its growing list of achievements.

This latest accolade comes after “Ali” received a Special Mention in the Short Film Competition at the Cannes Film Festival last year during its 78th edition, drawing international attention to the Bangladeshi production.

Earlier this year, the short film also won the Diversity Award at Filmfest Bremen. Continuing its successful festival run, “Ali” later earned another Special Mention at the Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF) in 2025. The film was also selected for the official short film programme at the 70th edition of the Valladolid International Film Week (Seminci) in Spain.

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Set in a coastal town where women are forbidden from singing publicly, “Ali” tells the story of a young boy gifted with an uncanny female voice who hides his talent while dreaming of participating in a singing competition.
The title character is portrayed by Al Amin, while principal photography for the film took place in Sylhet in November 2024.