Adnan Al Rajeev’s ‘Ali’ wins award at SXSW London

Bangladeshi short film "Ali", directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, continues its remarkable run on the international festival circuit. This time, the film has won the coveted Short Film Prize at SXSW London.

SXSW London is the UK edition of the globally renowned South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, which originated in Austin, Texas. The festival brings together groundbreaking voices from film, television, music, technology, and culture, and is widely regarded as one of the world's most influential platforms for emerging creative talent.

"Ali" has enjoyed an extraordinary festival journey since its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it made history as the first Bangladeshi short film to compete in Cannes' Official Short Film Competition. The film went on to receive a Special Mention from the Short Film Jury, marking a landmark achievement for Bangladeshi cinema.

A Bangladesh-Philippines co-production, "Ali" tells the story of a gifted teenage boy living in a conservative coastal town where women are forbidden to sing. Blessed with an extraordinary voice, he secretly enters a singing competition, exploring themes of identity, self-expression, and resistance against social restrictions.

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Beyond Cannes, the film has continued to garner international recognition. It won the Youth Jury Award for Best International Short Film at the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) in Spain, earned a Special Mention at the Kyiv International Short Film Festival, received the Diversity Award at Filmfest Bremen, and secured a Special Mention for Best Short Fiction at the South Asian Film Festival of Montréal. The film was also nominated at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Asian Academy Creative Awards.