Afsana Mimi, Tanvir Hossain's ‘Lal Batir Nil Porira’ wins West Meet East Screenplay Lab

Afsana Mimi and Tanvir Hossain's joint venture, "Lal Batir Nil Porira", clinched the top spot at the West Meet East Screenplay Lab, which is part of this year's Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF). 

The lab, held at Alliance Française de Dhaka, kicked off on January 22 and culminated on January 26, revealing the victors.

Securing the second position was Indian filmmaker Ishan Sharma with "Kobutor", while the third prize went to Sri Lankan director Bavaneedha Loganathan for "Kuttu". The much-anticipated awards were announced on Friday night.

This year's film festival showcased the talents of 10 filmmakers from South Asia, who presented their promising film projects. Following rigorous scrutiny and selection, the top three projects are now granted mentorship and funding opportunities.

The triumphant filmmakers will be awarded USD 5,000, USD 3,000, and USD 2,000 for the first, second, and third prizes, respectively. A total of 109 projects were submitted from various South Asian countries, including Bangladesh. 

The final selection of 10 projects was made by a jury consisting of five international members, with representatives from Bangladesh, and three projects received the ultimate nod.

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The West Meets East Screenplay Lab serves as a pivotal mentoring and pitching platform at the Dhaka International Film Festival. The chosen projects, having undergone this intensive lab, had the chance to present their works at the South Asian Film Market and Film Hut during the festival. At the event, they engaged in discussions about their concepts and sought advice for further development from sponsors and advisors in terms of funding.