‘Lumière to Hiralal’ enters Britain Film Institute library collection

A book by Bangladeshi filmmaker and writer Altamis Nabil has been added to the collection of the British Film Institute (BFI) Reuben Library in London.

Titled “Lumière to Hiralal”, the English-language volume was formally handed over by the author during a recent visit to BFI Southbank. The book has also been accepted for inclusion in the collections of the British Library and the SOAS University of London.

The publication traces the evolution of global cinema, beginning with the earliest film screenings by the Lumière brothers and moving through major movements that shaped the medium.

It covers key developments such as Soviet montage, German Expressionism, Italian Neorealism, and the French New Wave, while also incorporating the early histories of cinema in the Indian subcontinent and Bangladesh.

Speaking about the recognition, Nabil said the book was written to offer international readers an accessible understanding of South Asia’s contribution to world cinema.

“Including this book in an institution like the BFI is a significant honour for me,” he said.