Leesa Gazi, Bangladesh’s Oscar-nominated filmmaker, continues amplifying silenced women’s voices through storytelling that spans theatre, film, and literature. Her works like Birangona and A House Named Shahana reclaim erased histories, celebrating women’s resilience, resistance, and power across generations.
In Bangladesh, the hardest thing for many women to own is not a dream; it’s placing her name on a deed. Barir Naam Shahana begins there, with the stubborn courage it takes to write a woman’s name into a house, a life, a future. That stubbornness has carried writer-director Leesa Gazi from a 2011 novella to an Oscar journey she still calls “unexpected.”
After winning awards at international film festivals in London, Chicago, Melbourne, Rome, and Mumbai, the much-discussed film “Barir Naam Shahana” is set for release in Bangladesh on September 19, director Leesa Gazi has announced. This marks Gazi’s debut as a feature filmmaker.
The film “Barir Naam Shahana” (A House Named Shahana) is set to be released in theatres across Bangladesh. Directed by Leesa Gazi, the film is produced under the banners of Goopy Bagha Productions Limited and Komola Collective. The announcement was made on Thursday (21 August) hnight through a Facebook post by Goopy Bagha Productions Limited.
The 22nd edition of the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) has officially become a platform for the premieres of two notable films, namely, "Barir Naam Shahana'' and "Nona Pani." Organised by the Rainbow Film Society, DIFF’s cinematic celebration commenced last Saturday and is set to continue until January 28.
In a significant milestone for South Asian cinema, Leesa Gazi's debut feature film, “Barir Naam Shahana” (A House Named Shahana), has been selected for the main competition at the prestigious Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023. The film's recognition comes on the heels of receiving the Gender Sensitivity Award from the Film Critics Guild of India, where Aditya Srikrishna, Bharti Pradhan, and Stuti Ghosh served as jury members.
