A Bangladeshi film has secured a spot in the main competition of the prestigious Moscow International Film Festival for the second year in a row. Filmmaker Mohammad Nuruzzaman's "Mastul", following his acclaimed work on "Aam Kathaler Chhuti", will represent Bangladesh at the 47th edition of the festival.

Bangladeshi films have been making their mark in Moscow in recent years. In previous editions," (44th), Nurul Alam Atique's "Peyarar Subash" (45th), and Asif Islam's "Nirvana" (46th) were featured in the competition. Among them, "Adim" won two awards, while "Nirvana" also bagged one. 

Moreover, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's "Doob" and "Saturday Afternoon," along with Indranil Roychowdhury's "Maya" (produced by Jasim Ahmed), have also been notable Bangladeshi entries at the festival.

The 47th Moscow International Film Festival is set to run from April 17 to April 24. This year, alongside "Mastul", 11 films from Russia, Korea, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Turkey, and other countries will compete for top honours.

On April 2, the festival authorities officially announced the lineup, including selections across all major categories. The full list was later published on their website.

Director Nuruzzaman expressed his excitement over the selection of "Mastul" in the main competition. He revealed that the festival organisers had already confirmed the nomination via email. "It's an honour to see 'Mastul' competing at such a prestigious festival. We had been keeping the news under wraps until the official press conference," he shared.

The "Mastul" team has received an invitation from the festival authorities and plans to travel to Moscow in mid-April for the event. To mark the occasion, Nuruzzaman shared the festival poster for "Mastul", designed by the renowned artist Dhruba Esh. The film's international title is "Beyond the Mast".

"Mastul" has already received its clearance for local release. On March 24, the Bangladesh Film Certification Board approved it without any cuts, deeming it suitable for viewers of all ages.

Sharing his inspiration behind "Mastul", Nuruzzaman said, "I was born and raised in Narayanganj, especially observing the lives of sailors and dock workers. Their deep yet often unseen connection to both land and water has always fascinated me. This film gave me the chance to bring their world to the screen."

As for its local release, he noted, "We completed 'Mastul' last year. The sound design was done abroad. After its screening in Moscow, we will schedule a release date at a suitable time in Bangladesh."

The film stars the celebrated actor Fazlur Rahman Babu as a ship's cook. Other key roles are played by Deepak Suman, Aminur Rahman Mukul, Shikdar Mukit, Julfikar Chanchal, and child actor Arif.

Produced under the banner of Cinemakar, the film's casting director is Juboraj Shamim of "Adim" fame, while cinematography is handled by Mohammad Arifuzzaman. In addition to directing and producing, Nuruzzaman also took charge of the story, screenplay, editing, and sound design. The film's promotion and digital distribution are being managed by Tong Ghor Talkies.