ADFA Short Fest Selects Five Films from 173 Submissions

DHAKA — Five short film projects have been selected for the first season of ADFA Short Fest after a multi-stage evaluation process that shortlisted the finalists from 173 submissions, marking the beginning of a new phase of development and production for the selected filmmakers.

Jointly organised by ADFA and ASSEN, the initiative aims to support emerging filmmakers through story development, mentorship and financial assistance to turn their ideas into films.

The five selected projects are The Knot by Naser Hasib Siddiqui, Patar Nishwash by Ahsabul Yamin Reyad, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Mujibur Rahman Khan, known as Kaify, Dour by Md Moniruzzaman, and Parul by Siam Talukder.

The organisers congratulated the selected filmmakers, describing the selection as the beginning of a broader creative journey rather than the end of a competition.

The selection process began with 173 submitted projects, of which 100 met the initial screening criteria. A jury evaluation subsequently narrowed the field to 25 projects for the pitching round. Following the first round of pitches, eight projects advanced to the final stage.

Director Adnan Al Rajeev, director Mejbaur Rahman Sumon and cinematographer Kamrul Hasan Khosru selected the final five after a second round of detailed pitching and discussions.

The selected filmmakers will now work with mentors assigned by ADFA to further develop their stories and screenplays. The next stages will include screenplay finalisation, storyboarding, visual treatment, production design, casting and production planning before filming begins.

ASSEN is providing a total production fund of Tk 25 lakh for the five short films, while ADFA will offer creative guidance and production support throughout the development and filmmaking process.

“This initiative is not just about selecting five stories. We wanted to build a process where a good idea can evolve into a full-fledged film through proper development, mentorship, and production support,” ADFA said in a statement.

“Five stories have been selected out of 173. Now begins the most crucial phase—transforming those stories into cinema,” the statement added.

The first season of ADFA Short Fest seeks to establish a structured pathway for short film projects, connecting promising ideas with professional mentorship and production resources. The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on how the selected stories develop into completed films and reach audiences.