Two festivals, two films for Shimu

10 HOUR(s)

Sharmin Joya

Photos: Courtesy

This year, both the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) marked significant milestones for Bangladeshi cinema and actor Reekita Nondine Shimu.

After Venice, two of Shimu’s feature films are being screened at TIFF today, September 16.

Rubaiyat Hossain’s "The Difficult Bride" made history as the first Bangladeshi feature film to premiere at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival. Shimu plays a pivotal role in the film, making the occasion particularly significant as her previous film, "Once Upon a Time" in Calcutta, directed by Aditya Vikram Sengupta, had its world premiere at Venice in 2021.

At the Venice Film Festival | Photo: Courtesy

At TIFF, "The Difficult Bride" screens alongside Shimu’s other project, "Beliphool".

Shimu, who is currently in Poland, shared her experience of the festival and her projects. “It feels really special and is a very proud moment for Bangladeshi cinema. This is the second time one of my films has had its world premiere at Venice. Although I couldn’t attend the festival the first time, I was very happy and excited knowing my first Indian film premiered there.

This time feels even more special. Representing a Bangladeshi film here is amazing. Watching our film with almost 1,400 people at Sala Darsena, alongside our director and team, was incredible. The audience’s lovely reactions afterwards made it even more emotional.”

TIFF also holds special significance for Shimu, as her other film "Made in Bangladesh", directed by Rubaiyat Hossain, had its world premiere there in 2019. Shimu won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2023 for this film.

“Screening at TIFF on the same day and at the same venue—"The Difficult Bride", directed by Rubaiyat Hossain, and "Beliphool", directed by Aniba Rahman, is really exciting for me. It feels even more special to me because tomorrow is also my birthday, and it’s one of the best gifts I could ever ask for.”

"Beliphool" is Aniba Rahman’s debut short film. She is a New York-based filmmaker, and Shimu shared that it was a wonderful experience working with her and the entire team. Shimu plays a very different character named Beli in an urban setting.

“These recent films have allowed me to explore myself as an actress in different ways. I feel I’m still learning and growing as an actress. These experiences, especially working with different directors and new teams, have helped me understand myself better as a performer. I’m just hoping to keep exploring different kinds of stories and roles.”

Apart from acting, Shimu has been involved with IWPG (International Women’s Peace Group) Peace Leadership programme in South Korea since 2025. The organisation stands in solidarity with women around the world to build a sustainable world of peace through solidarity, education, and international cooperation.

“Their work around peace and the role of women in creating a culture of peace is something I personally feel very connected to. The IWPG Global Peace Conference is taking place starting today, and I’ll be connected to the conference digitally this year. It’s a very interesting time for me. Some of the key focuses of the conference are building international networks, expanding women’s leadership in peace, encouraging civic participation through education, and strengthening collaboration with organisations around the world. I find these ideas very meaningful.”